Next, consider whether you’re safe to continue your ride or able to ride back home. Profuse bleeding is an emergency, and medical care should be sought immediately. If after a few minutes of pressure the bleeding does not ease, consider seeking medical care. The initial priority for any wound is to manage bleeding through direct pressure on the wound. Once safe, check yourself over and assess what wounds you have and what condition they are in. Initial ManagementĪfter a fall – once you’re off the ground – your first step is to make sure you’re in a safe place, away from traffic. Later in this article, wound care supplies will be discussed and they should be considered for inclusion in a first aid kit. The further away you are riding from outside help, the more prepared you need to be to help yourself.īefore leaving for an adventure like this, consider asking questions like, “What can go wrong? How will I get help? What will I bring with me to help myself?” While most riders will never need to give thought to carrying any wound care supplies, gravel, mountain, and adventure cyclists traveling far away from civilization should give this serious thought and include a first aid kit in their gear.
Here is the CyclingTips guide to caring for road rash.
Knowing how to properly care for this type of wound can reduce discomfort, promote healing, prevent infection, and return you to your normal riding routine more quickly.
Abrasions – or ‘road rash’ in the cycling vernacular – occur when the layers of skin are scraped away by an abrasive surface.įortunately, road rash does not typically cause much more than pain and some time off the bike – but you can bounce back quicker. You will find yourself on the ground with less skin than you had moments earlier. Tarmac, gravel and trail can all take their toll on our skin and the silly lycra we wear does little to avert injury.Īt some point it will happen to you. Hitting the ground while riding your bike is one of the worst aspects of a great sport. He has a particular interest in wound care in outdoor settings, and enjoys riding steel bicycles with rim brakes while exploring the rural roads west of his home city. David is a registered nurse from Philadelphia, USA with a clinical background in critical care nursing, emergency medical services, and wilderness medicine. VeloClub member David Maver prepared this guide for post-crash treatment. Road rash is close to an inevitability for cyclists – but while it might ruin your day, with appropriate treatment you will soon be back in the saddle and on your way to recovery.