Sailing Safety - Sailing Injuries

• Abrasions
  Common injuries when sailing are abrasions and cuts. An abrasion is a wound where the top layer of the skin is removed. It usually leads to slight bleeding.
  
  One goal in handling these injuries is to stop the bleeding and prevent further complications. Elevate the injured area and rinse the wound under running water. Clean the area thoroughly with gauze swabs and put a non-adhesive dressing to the wound. Tape it in place. To prevent infection, you may apply an antibiotic ointment and then cover it with sterile dressing.
  
  For deep cuts with severe bleeding, elevate the injured part. Dress the wound and apply pressure to stop the bleeding. Use a bandage to keep the dressing in place. Make sure that the bandage is not too tight that it hinders blood circulation. Ask for medical assistance.


• Bruises
  A bruise is an injury to the tissues and muscle that does not break the skin and is caused by a blow from a blunt thing. It causes bleeding inside or beneath the skin.
  
  To deal with Bruises, elevate the affected area to reduce swelling, and then apply ice or cold pack to ease pain and reduce swelling and bleeding. Do not put ice directly on the affected area. Doing this can cause further damage. Use a bandage to apply pressure.


• Avulsions
  An Avulsion is a wound where the skin is partially or completely torn away from the body. This is a deep wound and leads to a lot of bleeding.
  
  First and foremost, you need to stop the bleeding. Use sterile dressing and apply manual pressure on the injured area. Put bandage on the wound once the bleeding stops.


• Burns
  Treat a mild burn with cold water. Cover it with a non-adhesive dressing. For second and third degree burns, seek medical assistance.