Scratched up

So, the other day I was cruising along at about 30 mph when I wiped out on my bike and skidded for a good few yards. I was smart enough to wear shin guards, but unfortunately, I didn't have any ankle protection. Now, I've got this raw patch of skin right on the top of my foot—you know, where it bends near the shin—about a 5 or 6 square inch area that's just totally scraped up.

One little section is pretty gnarly and looks like it's already starting to scab over, if you can even call it that. But then there's this other part that’s just a shallow scrape; it's still oozing plasma and hasn't really formed a crust yet... which is weird because it's been about 40 hours since the accident. The real kicker here, though, is that my high school graduation is in six days.

Is there some kind of trick or hack to speed up the healing process?

Did you actually disinfect that properly? I mean, did you give it a good wash and use an antiseptic spray like Octane or something similar? Honestly, just head to a drugstore, show the pharmacist what’s going on, and let them help you out. It would probably be a smart move to grab some Bivouac spray and maybe a healing ointment—whatever they recommend, maybe Neosporin or something along those lines. Of course, you really should have just seen a doctor right away to get it professionally cleaned up and prescribed the right stuff to use at home; if you had, it likely would've healed much better by now.

Seriously, get to a doctor or a pharmacy ASAP, and you'll be feeling like brand new in time for graduation in six days!!! 🙂 Safe travels, and try not to do anything stupid during your graduation festivities!

You shouldn't apply creams directly to open wounds, even though theoretically something like Neosporin might offer a tiny boost to the healing process... essentially, what matters most for a wound is cleanliness, healthy circulation, and ultimately, good nutrition... if you have those covered, there's no need to worry

Nutrition vs. Caloric Intake?

Grab some Bivouac spray and give it a good blast; you’ll be smooth as a baby's bottom in no time.👍 It sounds like you hang out with the same crowd as my boyfriend—he’s obsessed with mountain biking too, so he always keeps that spray tucked in his pack.😁

Angela Wright said:Grab some Bivouac spray and just blast it on—your hair will be gone in a heartbeat!👍 Looks like you’re in the exact same crew as my boyfriend! He’s obsessed with hitting the trails on his mountain bike too, so he’s always lugging around a Bivouac kit and that spray in his pack just in case.😁

Look, I don't even count it as a real wipeout unless I'm hitting at least 45 mph! Anything slower than that? Honestly, just a little bump in the road. If I'm not flying, I'm not really riding! 😛
Even the coach is packing heat in his backpack! He’s got everything—gauze, medical tape, disinfectant, and bandages... he's basically a walking first-aid kit! 😁

dustypuma4—get this, about a month and a half ago, I dealt with a similar injury on my side, just a bit larger, and they actually gave me a tetanus shot on the spot. Honestly, you might want to look into that too. Since you probably didn't get your last booster until maybe senior year of high school, it’s been well over five years now... I think. Better safe than sorry! 😁

amberheron62 said:I don't count a crash unless I'm hitting at least 45 mph—anything less than that is just a minor scrape😛
It’s like having a medic sitting in your backpack ready to deploy bandages, antiseptic, Gauze, and disinfectant at a moment's notice.. 😁

@dustypuma4—they actually told me to get a tetanus shot about six weeks ago for a similar injury (a pretty wide scrape on my side), so you might be in the same boat.. Especially since if you finished high school back in the day, it means your last booster was likely over five years ago... I think. 😁

My boyfriend can't see this post or you'll totally bruise his cycling ego😁 See, he’s the type who wipes out on flat ground🤣 and usually at pretty low speeds (total amateur😛 )
That bit about the tetanus really got me thinking. My sweetie took quite a tumble and scraped himself up pretty bad about 2 or 3 months ago. I'm guessing it's too late for an anti-tetanus shot now, and if he were going to catch anything, he would have by now. Next time he goes down, I'm sending him straight for the needle, which will probably be any minute now since he seems to crash roughly every two months😬 .

I didn't wipe out on the road or anything, I actually took a tumble on a trail up by Mount Rainier, and honestly, I lucked out because I only hit a rock about the size of a medium-sized sheep, so I guess I’m counting my blessings. Plus, the bike itself is totally fine 😁

minor update: one part of the scrape is pretty shallow and it's not really bothering me, just skin deep. On the flip side, there's this tiny little spot—maybe an inch square—that got pretty gnarly and scabbed over almost instantly (like, before the blood even had a chance to dry). Once I got home from the fall, I doused the whole wound in some whiskey and I've been hitting it daily with Neosporin spray to make sure nothing gets infected. I already checked in with my doctor, and they said everything is healing up perfectly and looks great, so I just need to keep spraying it and swapping out the gauze

The real headache is that whenever I put my foot down—especially when I stand up—it starts aching quite a bit after a little while. All that pain is concentrated right in that one bruised spot; the superficial scrapes don't bother me at all. Walking isn't too bad, but if I'm lying down or propping my leg up, the pain vanishes IMMEDIATELY. It's not a stinging sensation, though; it's more of this heavy, dull ache. It feels almost like my veins are throbbing, and once I lower my leg, the blood rushes down and the pain kicks in. Is it possible I actually bruised a vein or something like that? Should I head back to the clinic? Anyway, my graduation ceremony is Wednesday morning, so I've only got about four and a half days left to get this sorted

Look, I don't even go down the paved roads; I’m strictly hitting those heavy off-road trails. Like, this last time out in the Lehigh Valley, I got caught on a tree root because I lost focus for just one second. 😁 (The bike's totally fine though... 😍 )

Honestly, you definitely banged up your ankle. It's not just a sprain, because if it were, you wouldn't be able to stand on it at all—you've definitely got some bruising going on there..
I seriously wrecked my hip once; I could actually feel the hematoma right under my skin (well, after the scab fell off anyway). Let me tell you, sleeping on that side was a total nightmare for an entire week..

The Lehigh Valley area is basically paradise for anyone who loves hitting the trails👎

dustypuma4 said:Lehigh Valley is where all the hikers hang out👎

Haha, yeah, if you show up on a Tuesday at 6 AM while you're still dreaming... 😉 the trails are crawling with hikers!

But on the weekends? Forget about it. That's when everyone hits the trails in Small Town, USA, the Appalachian Mountains, or heads out toward Mount Rainier and Clearwater...

Honestly, you need a bit of experience to really know which trails get slammed and when.

Anyone out there? Because I’m feeling totally left hanging here. 👎

So, dustypuma4, how's everything going on your end? 😎
Have you done anything about "healing those wounds" yet? Let us know before you head off to graduation... 🙂