yeah, i mean when you're on relief you're doing these similar, torquey accelerations from in the drops to bring yourself down, toward race speed, to make the exchanges. not exactly a standing start, but similar. riding square bars, i definitely get those bruises from madisons (and sometimes other races, too, but mostly madisons) - you don't feel it when it's happening and then later on you've got black-and-blues.
i doubt people are using scattos to deal with that, i just think that they're popular because they're narrow and aero and stiff and good, and the flat top really isn't bad for a madison throw - as long as you use kind of a hook grip with your fingers forward instead of a thumb wraparound grip.