Fall-Down-Go-Boom

[OneEighth]

You are going to be stalked mercilessly by the Cat6ers on the ride home, my friend.

Excellent advice. I would add that your clothes will often abrade you as well when you use your backside as a brake, so remember to turn your gear inside out and give it a good cleaning.

This has been covered before, but having shaven legs helps with clean-up and care for roadrash on your lower half.

Random thought—if you have younger kids, letting them help with wound care is a good way to instill a strong sense of trust, lots of self-confidence, some empathy, and some toughness.

And, if your are unlucky enough to break your collarbone, opt for surgery.

Shiny side up!

[PrintError]

Yikes! Glad to hear you’re alright Pete. I took a shot this past winter on the ice when I tried to be polite and scoot over for a car coming up behind me. The pavement-to-2″-icepack transition snagged the bike and sent me to the ice at 20mph in a dead fall, landed straight on my right side. Didn’t hurt, so I jumped right back on the bike and continued the icy ride in to work.

Two days later I could barely walk, the bruise appeared about 12 hours after the accident, wish I’d taken a picture. Everything from belt to ankle on my right side was purple. Friggin OWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!

[bikenurse]

Wow. Sorry to hear about your fall. I hate road rash… I am a health care provider (NP) and your advice is sound. When you dress your wound make sure to get telfa pads/non-stick pads. You do not want anything sticking to the wound. Ibuprofen/Aleve (any of the NSAIDS) work better than tylenol/acetaminophen because they have anti-inflammatory properties – and you really want to shut down inflammation. Shutting down your brain (narcotics like vicodan) help you cope. Not an advocate – just saying – if you need them (and have them) use them. Ice also decreases inflammation. But anything that touches the wound hurts like hell. When I’ve had road rash I’ve had to tent my covers – I can’t stand much of anything touching it. Once the oozing stops, then try to go without a bandage so the wound can start to dry out and heal. Think of this wound like a burn with a bruise… it’s going to take awhile to heal completely. Keep riding and keep the blood flowing!

[vvill]

Eeech sorry Pete. Really nice of you to save them from injury, and give them your leg bands.

I had a nice patch of road rash on my left hip after my crash in August (after buying my first road bike in July, great huh!).

I took [generic] vicodin for 3 days (for my broken arm – although my hips were the sorest and most painful part in the days following the crash), and I ended up coughing up the $ for a pack of hydrocolloid dressings (I got DuoDerm), mostly because I was sick of having to have the dressing changed so often. I don’t know if it made me heal faster and the scar still looks gnarly but it was a lot more comfortable putting on clothes, etc. and I could keep the dressing on for days at a time. I’m too much of a wuss to touch my own wounds a lot, luckily my wife was fine with helping me out there. Actually she had no choice since one of my arms was in a sling.

I slept on the couch during my recovery, firstly so I wouldn’t be disturbed by young-uns awakin’ and secondly so I could prop up my arm easier. Also made it possible to turn on a bad movie and pass out that way (no TV in the bedroom). The pain can make it harder to fall asleep.

[Dirt]

There is one more topic. In the winter time we’re often dressed up enough that instead of road rash, we get really deep bruises. They are the worst part. actually the lack of oozing is nice, but they can hurt just as much.

There is help, however. There is an herbal remedy called Arnica Gel. It feels good when you apply it and massage it in gently. The massaging part hurts like heck. I honestly don’t know if the Arnica does anything, but the time gently massaging the bruises over the time you are healing increases blood flow and helps work all the crap out of the bruised area. I’ve had great results.

I’ve seen it sold in privately owned/operated drug stores as well as health food/natural remedy stores. Tins of people in Europe swear by it.

Have a great weekend. Thanks for your thoughts and contributions. I love this community.

Pete

[StopMeansStop]

Carry some alcohol swabs in your pack to wipe down ASAP.

Though I disagree with you dressing. Use a generic triple antibiotic instead. The faster you get in on the wound the better.

[CCrew]

One word: Tegaderm.

Hope you heal quickly.

[mreyes2112]

I am glad you are OK! I see our ninjas runners friends too often. I am just glad on my commute I have no hairpin turns to worry about so with my 2/ SECA 400 lit I see them and they see me.

[skreaminquadz]

Sorry to hear Pete. Hope you heal up well. Luckily this didn’t happen last week! Also, thanks for sharing the great information in the post. Some of it is new to me so thank you!!

[Arlingtonrider]

I just read a whole series of recent articles about treating road rash. It sounds like the thinking has changed a lot recently, and that it might be a good idea to have a road rash kit assembled before it is needed. The local CVS might not have everything when you need it.

p.s. Dirt’s advice still sounds good, it’s just that the more recent articles emphasize the importance of not letting a scab form too quickly, and discuss the newer dressings, etc.

Pete, I hope all the “worsts” are well behind you now. You were a brave soldier yourself to make it to the happy hour so soon after the crash. We’re all wishing the best for you.

[americancyclo]

Hope you heal quickly Pete! Was this over by brandymore castle?

[5555624]

I picked up a tube of Arnica Gel at GNC. I’ve seen Arnica Creme at CVS.

Eating pineapples is supposed to help with bruises, too. They’re high in bromelain and I know people who say it helps, but I can’t vouch for it, since I don’t really care for pineapples.

[pfunkallstar]

NINJAS! AGAIN! Seriously though I hope you feel better. Tegraderm is indeed where “it” is at.

About ten years ago I was riding across the Memorial bridge when two kids from Oklahoma (or at least guessing so much by their t-shirts) were frolicking and frolicked right into the handlebar of my bike super sweet Cannondale. Despite the low-speed collision I ended up with ass-less chaps (literally) from the aggregate sidewalk. The awkward part was that I didn’t own a cellphone at the time so I had to walk over to some guys sunning themselves on the steps and borrow their phone while holding up said bloody pants – terrible. My friend picked me up and I threw on some Umbros that promptly stuck to the wound so badly that I had to soak in a bath tub to get them off.

Anyways, I concur on the winter falls, deep tissue trauma blows. Which is why that damn wooden boardwalk by TR island becomes the bane of my existence right around this time of year.

[Dirt]

I’m feeling quite good these days. Soreness is mostly gone. My elbow is still a little tender. The bruise really doesn’t hurt much, though the colors are still working their way to the surface. At some point in the next 4-5 days the bruise will stop growing and will start migrating toward my feet. Arnica Gel and massage help break that up so that I don’t end up with purple ankles filled with bruise crapola. Spending some time with my feet up every evening helps too.

[Tim Kelley]

I hear chocolate milk helps with all that too. Right??? Haahaha, I’ll be here all week folks!

[Author]

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