![take care of road rash take care of road rash](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-px5UuK1AnVo/UkWQEx13gVI/AAAAAAAAAM4/HG74MVZYh0w/s1600/road+rash.jpg)
What ever bleeding does exist should be controlled with direct pressure. Usually there isn’t much bleeding associated with an abrasion because few of the small blood vessels are exposed and those that are may actually be cauterized by the friction forces of the crash itself. That is why a small abrasion often hurts more than a deep laceration. The most superficial layers of skin are removed and this can expose the sensitive underlying nerve endings. Abrasions, loosely defined as a skin injury that grinds away layers of skin, are often very painful. ‘Road rash’ is a generic term generally referring to an abrasion.
#TAKE CARE OF ROAD RASH HOW TO#
The first step in deciding how to take care of a skin injury is making an assessment as to the type of wound. Be prepared and don’t count on others to take care of you. I wasn’t prepared and I won’t make that mistake again. I had to drive 30 miles to an emergency department with a make shift dressing using napkins from a drive through restaurant and a t-shirt. I had no supplies with me and when I went to registration to get help, a guy gave me a band-aid out of his wallet. One of my crashes occurred at a course in the middle of nowhere. They will likely have the materials to clean and dress your wounds, but not all races and events provide this service.
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Most race venues have a first aid station and often EMTs or paramedics to provide assistance. Your clothing helps prevent injuries, but sometimes you get cuts and scrapes, so is important to learn how to carefully assess and care for your cuts and scrapes if you fall. No one likes to crash, but it is a part of cycling and most of the time your pride is all that gets hurt, plus a few tears in the Lycra.