Last week we talked about fractures, this week we will discuss one of the most common injuries in the sport of mountainboarding, “road rash.” At first it doesn’t seem too bad, it gives you something to show off- a nice visual aid to go with your post-ride story. Then it starts to get miserable. Scabs, restless nights, ooze, and a long healing process.

So what do you do? How do you best treat it for the quickest recovery?

Before you can do anything, you need to equip yourself (preferably before the you wreck):

• Bottle of water

• Wash cloth

• A mild antibacterial liquid soap

• Antibiotic Ointment (e.g. Neosporin)

• Non-stick gauze pads

• Self adhering gauze wrap

The first thing you want to do after the wreck is inspect the injury. There are different types of road rash, some more serious than others. If you’ve completely peeled away the skin layer and you feel like you’re in science class when you look at it, then you probably need professional medical attention. The skin can’t heal if too much of the underneath stuff is messed up, or missing.

On the other hand, sometimes road rash effects only a very thin layer of the surface of the skin. These types need hardly any attention at all. Just keep them clean and dry and they heal themselves.

The road rash we will discuss is the kind that fall between the two we just mentioned. These are the kind that sting, throb, and ooze. The following steps are for this kind of injury:

1. Clean the area. If nothing else is done at the crash site, you should at least clean the area. This is done with water, a wash cloth, and mild antibiotic liquid soap (most sporting goods stores sell small empty containers that can easily be filled with soap and packed away). Avoid using hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, or anything like that as they’ve been found to mess with the healing process. Scrubbing too hard will also make things worse. If you’re not able to clean away dirt and debris with gentle washing, you can soak the area until it is soft enough to work with.

2. Once clean, pat the area dry.

3. Apply antibiotic ointment (e.g. Neosporin).

4. Cover the area with a non-stick gauze pad. If you’re gauze pad is not a non-stick type, you’ll regret it later.

5. With a self adhering gauze, wrap the area (some areas are not able to hold a wrap, like the back for example. The non-stick gauze pad will have to do for these areas). The wrap will help to secure and protect the gauze pad so it can do its job.

A few last words…

The road rash is an injury that requires daily maintenance. Your goal is to keep the wound moist, covered, and clean. Only the lightest of skin abrasions should be left to scab and “heal on their own.” When they are deeper, we want to avoid the scabbing process. Scabs tend to crack and they don’t allow enough oxygen to pass through for proper healing.

Keeping the area moist helps to prevent the scabbing process. Each day you need to remove the dressing, clean the area with soap and water, and remove any slimy film (the beginning of scab formation). Then apply the antibiotic ointment (e.g. Neosporin) and a new dressing as you did before. Within a week or two you should start seeing a healthy pink color and the oozing should be done. After this point, covering becomes optional.

So now that you’re a pro at treating road rash, go out and tear up the hill side. If you’re lucky you’ll get to practice what you’ve learned.