I think you did a good job on the articles. Maybe some scenarios based from your experience could further illustrate how these basics apply. Oh yeah, SocalTrailRIders is a very cool website. I spent an hour skimming through it.
finished a couple mtb emergency first aid articles
Hi all! As the title says, I just finished writing a couple emergency first aid articles. So far I have an intro/basic care article and a hypothermia/frostbite article. Plan to do some more including: shock, heat exhaustion & heat stroke, snake & insect bites, bleeding, fractures, and spinal injuries. I'm certified by the Red Cross as a first responder btw.
Anyhoo . . . both articles can be found here at SocalTrailRiders.
Any criticism, comments, suggestions would be much appreciated! Just want to check if I should do something different for the next articles. Specifically - is it easy enough to understand and follow?
Anyhoo . . . both articles can be found here at SocalTrailRiders.
Any criticism, comments, suggestions would be much appreciated! Just want to check if I should do something different for the next articles. Specifically - is it easy enough to understand and follow?
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
I think that for the hypothermia article, maybe some tips on self care and like the op said, scenarios. You could emphasize that a lot of hypothermia does not occur during winter. I volunteer on occasion with the local race medic crew, and some of the more interesting hypothermia cases were cool spring racing conditions, no breakfast, people getting chilled and not realizing what was happening to them until they fell off thier bikes.
Good input, thanks. Scenarios might be a good idea.
Thoughts...
This area is a tough one to give feedback on. I have an advanced background in Emergency Medicine. The variables when dealing with mountain biking accidents are immense. The "Average Joe" on the trail will not have a clue as to the proper treating techniques at any given accident. Several of my riding buddies ask me for advice in Emergency Medicine. This is what I tell them;
1: If it's bleeding, stop the bleeding. It doesn't matter if you use a band-aid or a piece of a torn t-shirt. Don't worry about washing out the wound well, as long as the large chunks of trail are gone that's good enough.
2: If it looks broken or hurts when you move it, don't move it. Use whatever you can to help the injured person help themself. When someone has a bad crash resulting in a fracture or dislocation they will grab the broken part and hold it with their good hand. This is called self-splinting. Don't go over to them and say "I can help" then grab the broken limb and attempt to splint it. They know how not to move it, so let them be.
3: If the injured person can ride or walk out let them. Just ride behind them to keep an eye on them.
Always see a Physician if you feel you need to.
I have been riding for several years. The most severe accidents I have witnessed are:
1:A friend crashed in some soft sand and dislocated his left elbow. I used his camelback and some strips of t-shirt to immobilze the arm. He walked out and we went to a hospital. He is fine today.
2: My brother took a dive OTB and knocked himself out. He was unconscious for about two minutes. When he woke up he said he felt hungover. He rested for a while and rode out. We went to the hospital and a few thousand dollars worth the CT Scan proved that his brain is cushioned with a thick layer of fat. He is fine today.
3: While riding DH I crashed and broke my leg. At the time I just thought I had hurt my knee. I rested for a few minutes and rode out with only my left foot on the pedal. I went to the ER and found out I had a Tibial Plateau Fracture. A few months later I am fine.
Each of these crashes caused serious injuries. In most situations the injured will be able to walk or ride out. If not, you have a problem best left to the pros. leave someone with the injured party and haul a$$ to a phone. Be as detailed as possible with the call taker and wait at the trailhead for help to arrive. If you have to leave the person alone to summons aid, do so. It is better in a serious situation to get help then to sit next to your friend while he expires. If the injuries are that great, nothing you can do will make a difference anyway, as long as you have done as I previously said, STOP THE BLEEDING. You can sit there all day doing rescue breathing or CPR, but without help your friend will die and you will just be very tired. All this depends on how many are in your riding group, how far from civilization you are and several other factors such as weather and time of day.
We have just scratched the surface of what could happen. Use common sense, and when all else fails call for help. Take a class in first aid, it can help when a friend crashes, at auto accidents or when your Dad chokes on a marshmallow.
None of this information is not intended to diagnose or treat any injury or illness. All the previous information is written from the writers point of view and is not intended as directions or instructions in the treatment or care of an injured or ill person. The writer takes no responsibility for any action you take or fail to take in relation to the content of this post.
This area is a tough one to give feedback on. I have an advanced background in Emergency Medicine. The variables when dealing with mountain biking accidents are immense. The "Average Joe" on the trail will not have a clue as to the proper treating techniques at any given accident. Several of my riding buddies ask me for advice in Emergency Medicine. This is what I tell them;
1: If it's bleeding, stop the bleeding. It doesn't matter if you use a band-aid or a piece of a torn t-shirt. Don't worry about washing out the wound well, as long as the large chunks of trail are gone that's good enough.
2: If it looks broken or hurts when you move it, don't move it. Use whatever you can to help the injured person help themself. When someone has a bad crash resulting in a fracture or dislocation they will grab the broken part and hold it with their good hand. This is called self-splinting. Don't go over to them and say "I can help" then grab the broken limb and attempt to splint it. They know how not to move it, so let them be.
3: If the injured person can ride or walk out let them. Just ride behind them to keep an eye on them.
Always see a Physician if you feel you need to.
I have been riding for several years. The most severe accidents I have witnessed are:
1:A friend crashed in some soft sand and dislocated his left elbow. I used his camelback and some strips of t-shirt to immobilze the arm. He walked out and we went to a hospital. He is fine today.
2: My brother took a dive OTB and knocked himself out. He was unconscious for about two minutes. When he woke up he said he felt hungover. He rested for a while and rode out. We went to the hospital and a few thousand dollars worth the CT Scan proved that his brain is cushioned with a thick layer of fat. He is fine today.
3: While riding DH I crashed and broke my leg. At the time I just thought I had hurt my knee. I rested for a few minutes and rode out with only my left foot on the pedal. I went to the ER and found out I had a Tibial Plateau Fracture. A few months later I am fine.
Each of these crashes caused serious injuries. In most situations the injured will be able to walk or ride out. If not, you have a problem best left to the pros. leave someone with the injured party and haul a$$ to a phone. Be as detailed as possible with the call taker and wait at the trailhead for help to arrive. If you have to leave the person alone to summons aid, do so. It is better in a serious situation to get help then to sit next to your friend while he expires. If the injuries are that great, nothing you can do will make a difference anyway, as long as you have done as I previously said, STOP THE BLEEDING. You can sit there all day doing rescue breathing or CPR, but without help your friend will die and you will just be very tired. All this depends on how many are in your riding group, how far from civilization you are and several other factors such as weather and time of day.
We have just scratched the surface of what could happen. Use common sense, and when all else fails call for help. Take a class in first aid, it can help when a friend crashes, at auto accidents or when your Dad chokes on a marshmallow.
None of this information is not intended to diagnose or treat any injury or illness. All the previous information is written from the writers point of view and is not intended as directions or instructions in the treatment or care of an injured or ill person. The writer takes no responsibility for any action you take or fail to take in relation to the content of this post.
Interesting...............
The double negative in this sentence makes you liable!! You better send this one back to your legal team for review!!hurtman said:None of this information is not intended to diagnose or treat any injury or illness.
And that's why I'm writing these articleshurtman said:The "Average Joe" on the trail will not have a clue as to the proper treating techniques at any given accident.
I realize that the average joe won't be as great as a doctor on the trail, but a bit of good care is better then none at all sometimes (although bad care is worse then no care). This applies to more then just accidents - it's good to know how to spot and help things like hypothermia, heat exhaustion (and even worse - heat stroke), what to do with a snake bite, etc etc.I highly recommend, like hurtman said, that everyone should take an emergency response class. Very valuable information to have. We never know when or if we'll ever be in that sort of a situation, but knowing how to take care of someone while waiting for 911 could be the difference between life and death.
Overall good, BUT, ABC's are always first. Got to have a patent Airway to Breathe and therefore be able to maintain Circulation. If none of those are intact, you cannot find out LOC. AVPU is good to find out there overall responsiveness quickly. The only other thing I would say is if the patient is awake and alert and the first-aider suspects a spinal injury, make sure you are trained to do so. Used to be the "Good Samaritan Law" would protect those whom are trying to be helpful, but society is very litigious these days.
Rob
13 year paramedic
Rob
13 year paramedic
Fixed my double negative mistake!
This area is a tough one to give feedback on. I have an advanced background in Emergency Medicine. The variables when dealing with mountain biking accidents are immense. The "Average Joe" on the trail will not have a clue as to the proper treating techniques at any given accident. Several of my riding buddies ask me for advice in Emergency Medicine. This is what I tell them;
1: If it's bleeding, stop the bleeding. It doesn't matter if you use a band-aid or a piece of a torn t-shirt. Don't worry about washing out the wound well, as long as the large chunks of trail are gone that's good enough.
2: If it looks broken or hurts when you move it, don't move it. Use whatever you can to help the injured person help themself. When someone has a bad crash resulting in a fracture or dislocation they will grab the broken part and hold it with their good hand. This is called self-splinting. Don't go over to them and say "I can help" then grab the broken limb and attempt to splint it. They know how not to move it, so let them be.
3: If the injured person can ride or walk out let them. Just ride behind them to keep an eye on them.
Always see a Physician if you feel you need to.
I have been riding for several years. The most severe accidents I have witnessed are:
1:A friend crashed in some soft sand and dislocated his left elbow. I used his camelback and some strips of t-shirt to immobilze the arm. He walked out and we went to a hospital. He is fine today.
2: My brother took a dive OTB and knocked himself out. He was unconscious for about two minutes. When he woke up he said he felt hungover. He rested for a while and rode out. We went to the hospital and a few thousand dollars worth the CT Scan proved that his brain is cushioned with a thick layer of fat. He is fine today.
3: While riding DH I crashed and broke my leg. At the time I just thought I had hurt my knee. I rested for a few minutes and rode out with only my left foot on the pedal. I went to the ER and found out I had a Tibial Plateau Fracture. A few months later I am fine.
Each of these crashes caused serious injuries. In most situations the injured will be able to walk or ride out. If not, you have a problem best left to the pros. leave someone with the injured party and haul a$$ to a phone. Be as detailed as possible with the call taker and wait at the trailhead for help to arrive. If you have to leave the person alone to summons aid, do so. It is better in a serious situation to get help then to sit next to your friend while he expires. If the injuries are that great, nothing you can do will make a difference anyway, as long as you have done as I previously said, STOP THE BLEEDING. You can sit there all day doing rescue breathing or CPR, but without help your friend will die and you will just be very tired. All this depends on how many are in your riding group, how far from civilization you are and several other factors such as weather and time of day.
We have just scratched the surface of what could happen. Use common sense, and when all else fails call for help. Take a class in first aid, it can help when a friend crashes, at auto accidents or when your Dad chokes on a marshmallow.
None of this information is intended to diagnose or treat any injury or illness. All the previous information is written from the writers point of view and is not intended as directions or instructions in the treatment or care of an injured or ill person. The writer takes no responsibility for any action you take or fail to take in relation to the content of this post. [/QUOTE]
This area is a tough one to give feedback on. I have an advanced background in Emergency Medicine. The variables when dealing with mountain biking accidents are immense. The "Average Joe" on the trail will not have a clue as to the proper treating techniques at any given accident. Several of my riding buddies ask me for advice in Emergency Medicine. This is what I tell them;
1: If it's bleeding, stop the bleeding. It doesn't matter if you use a band-aid or a piece of a torn t-shirt. Don't worry about washing out the wound well, as long as the large chunks of trail are gone that's good enough.
2: If it looks broken or hurts when you move it, don't move it. Use whatever you can to help the injured person help themself. When someone has a bad crash resulting in a fracture or dislocation they will grab the broken part and hold it with their good hand. This is called self-splinting. Don't go over to them and say "I can help" then grab the broken limb and attempt to splint it. They know how not to move it, so let them be.
3: If the injured person can ride or walk out let them. Just ride behind them to keep an eye on them.
Always see a Physician if you feel you need to.
I have been riding for several years. The most severe accidents I have witnessed are:
1:A friend crashed in some soft sand and dislocated his left elbow. I used his camelback and some strips of t-shirt to immobilze the arm. He walked out and we went to a hospital. He is fine today.
2: My brother took a dive OTB and knocked himself out. He was unconscious for about two minutes. When he woke up he said he felt hungover. He rested for a while and rode out. We went to the hospital and a few thousand dollars worth the CT Scan proved that his brain is cushioned with a thick layer of fat. He is fine today.
3: While riding DH I crashed and broke my leg. At the time I just thought I had hurt my knee. I rested for a few minutes and rode out with only my left foot on the pedal. I went to the ER and found out I had a Tibial Plateau Fracture. A few months later I am fine.
Each of these crashes caused serious injuries. In most situations the injured will be able to walk or ride out. If not, you have a problem best left to the pros. leave someone with the injured party and haul a$$ to a phone. Be as detailed as possible with the call taker and wait at the trailhead for help to arrive. If you have to leave the person alone to summons aid, do so. It is better in a serious situation to get help then to sit next to your friend while he expires. If the injuries are that great, nothing you can do will make a difference anyway, as long as you have done as I previously said, STOP THE BLEEDING. You can sit there all day doing rescue breathing or CPR, but without help your friend will die and you will just be very tired. All this depends on how many are in your riding group, how far from civilization you are and several other factors such as weather and time of day.
We have just scratched the surface of what could happen. Use common sense, and when all else fails call for help. Take a class in first aid, it can help when a friend crashes, at auto accidents or when your Dad chokes on a marshmallow.
None of this information is intended to diagnose or treat any injury or illness. All the previous information is written from the writers point of view and is not intended as directions or instructions in the treatment or care of an injured or ill person. The writer takes no responsibility for any action you take or fail to take in relation to the content of this post. [/QUOTE]
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
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