I got a nice 2 square inch knee scrape from a mountain bike crash. The internet is all over the place on whether it should be kept moist and covered vs. open and dry in order to prevent infection and aid fast healing. Trying to figure
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7Does this community cover medical advice? I don't think this is cycling specific, and I don't think you'd want to take medical advice from people who aren't in some way certified to answer the question beyond hearsay, "best practices" or anecdotes.– jayded-beeCommented Aug 24, 2022 at 17:02
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Please clarify - is this scrape in the forest, mid ride and you want to know what to do with it till you get out, using what's on hand? Or is it general medical advise?– Criggie ♦Commented Aug 24, 2022 at 19:33
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1If you wish, you could ask on the medical sciences SE site. I believe this type of wound is called an abrasion in medicine.– Weiwen NgCommented Aug 25, 2022 at 2:11
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1I provided the final vote to close as a duplicate because while I reckon the first aid aspect is on topic, I would have answered the same as I did there. Subsequent treatment, if you feel the need, is a medical question for which this isn't the right place. There may be some scope for a question about self care for multiple days in the wilderness, but that didn't seem to be what this one was about. Outdoors.se has a fair bit of first aid discussion which might be worth a browse– Chris HCommented Aug 25, 2022 at 5:49
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1 Answer
I'll chime in on this as first, i tend to get scraped up on occasion due to my mountain biking--or rather, my lack of fear colliding with my lack of true skill. Second, I spent a decade or so as a critical care nurse and thus have an educated opinion on issues like these.
While there are many and variable kinds of advice to be found on the world wide web, I think most would agree that the Mayo Clinic could be considered a leading authority on medical issues of all kinds: Advice from the Mayo Clinic regarding cuts and scrapes.
The skin is our first line of defense against microorganisms, and when that barrier is broken, a primary focus should be the prevention of infection. The rationale of covering the wound is based on the broken skin being a potential for infection, and covering it equates to the barrier function of skin. One mistake people make regarding dressings is covering an uncleaned wound, then sealing it up too tight such that air doesn't get to it. In this instance the covering acts as the lid to an incubator.
It is best practice to cover a fresh, moist or draining wound after it has been cleaned of foreign material and drainage. Utilize taping or other securing devices conservative such that the wound can "breath" and dry out over time. When scabs form, the dressing can come off and stay off.
