Hi there everyone, I had a bit of a crash on a ride yesterday and ended up with some road rash. Two 1-inch diameter open wounds on my left arm and a couple scrapes on my outside thigh and abdomen. Otherwise, I’m fine.
Anyway, my questions are:
(1) If I go swimming in a pool (it’s a local university pool, so I assume chlorinated), am I in for some serious pain from the chlorine/chemical in contact with my wounds?
(2) Is there a general protocol that I should stay out of the pool until the road rash heals/the wounds close up completely?
Hard to know your specific case over the internet, but the basics still stand:
-Don’t go in public pools with open wounds. For your own safety as much as everyone else’s.
-Wait at least until the wounds have closed up (scabbed). Don’t have to be completely healed, but shouldn’t be wide open still.
-Make sure to keep the wounds clean at all times. Make sure to let them dry out after you get out of the pool.
Despite chlorine, public pools are still nasty places, and can easily transmit infections to you or others. If in doubt, stay out.
Good advice above. However, I would add that you can buy some of that liquid band aid stuff. Put it on about 15 minutes before your swim and let dry. It stings a bit, but basically puts a layer of skin over your road rash. Its waterproof and works very good.
Use standard road rash protocol (don’t let them scab!). Once the wounds stop weeping (3 days or so), you can cover them with Tegraderm (kinda like medical quality saran wrap…available at your local drugstore) and swim with them covered.