Injury treatment

[Inside Shoulder]

My son is getting old enough to be getting lots of grazes - the type we've all had: the one where a week between games is juts long enough for them to form a good scab only for it to be knocked off in the first contact with the ground.
Today's ref required him to get it fixed so there was no blood - an issue unheard of in my day.
My approach was to just let them fester for the whole season, being careful that they didnt get infected, but not covering them.
It may be that that approach is not going to cut the mustard if other refs take the same view (this bloke was an ARU scholarship ref so he was somewhat pedantic).
What is the modern (as opposed to 60's, 70's and 80's) approach to dealing with the inevitable grazes? Do you just tape them for the game, cover them during the week or what?

 

[I like to watch]

What ever happened to the tin of grease that the strapper used to liberally apply to you knees, your elbows & any big scars on your face?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I was bagged for that one: "came off in the first tackle dad"
(hard to get the tone but if you've got a teenage boy you'll know what I mean)

 

[I like to watch]

Ahhh then you didn't slap it on 80's style, like you think you will never get it washed off!!

 

[Ash]

Reckon some bandages with strapping tape for a couple of weeks would do the trick, or get some slide on knee support type things.

 

[It is what it is]

Skins or similar should help in most circumstances

 

[cyclopath]

Best thing for (smaller) grazes is to thoroughly clean them, then apply an occlusive dressing like Duoderm or Comfeel (can get at some pharmacies) but Band-Aid or Elastoplast make similar "Advanced Healing" dressings, which you leave on for about 5-7 days; they are completely waterproof. The key is to thoroughly clean it first so no dirt or other debris stuck in it.
If it's scabbed already, put a dressing over the top then a Tubigrip type support thing (as Ash said) to cover it.

 

[Cat_A]

My bread and butter:

Generally most grazes take 4 weeks to heal enough to not bleed every game & training session. Until then, cover the graze with gauze/tissue and cover that with strapping tape. Wherever possible, try to wrap even a bit of the tape covering it AROUND the limb- tape sticks best to tape, but poorly to skin. This has to be done BEFORE they sweat (ie: before warm up). band Aids don't stay on. It looks lie overkill, but better to cover it well once, than poorly repeatedly.

Hope that helps!

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Well I'm disappointed to see that nothings changed since I last had to worry about this for myself.
Cheers for the advice - he's taped and ready for training....but somewhat embarrassed at the "overkill" as Cat_A put it.
I will hunt up the stuff youre talking about Cyclo