Types of Injuries

I am still working on redesigning first aid kits by a risk management approach.
what I would like is if other readers could post what kinds of injuries they have had in the wilds.
and how it affected you or your trip.
injuries can be anything from splinters to major medical or trauma

Thanks in advance.

broken fingers.
rolled ankles.
Lots of small cuts.
Poison Ivy.
Large/deep cuts.
Sun burns.

_________________
Never explain. Your friends don't need it and your enemies won't believe you anyway.

I can't ever remember cutting my self, with anything, knife, saw or axe Confused

But fish hooks, splinters and bug bits are common Mad

eric

I'm going to take it one step futhur:

Headaches
Stomatch Aches (I carry Green tea with me for that works good)

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"There dosen't look like there's much shelter over in those mountains, but that's the only choice I got right now, this is gonna be a long week" - Les Stroud Arctic

Let me think... I think I could just about cover everything with...

Minor Cuts,
Major Cuts,
Breaks,
Burns,
Bad Plants,
Natural effects,
Illness,
Emergency stuff (like Heart Attack & Stroke things)

Oh yeah, I burn myself sometimes Mad

eric

Daffy........did the rolled ankle keep you from traveling or did you need assistance getting help?

AND on the deep cut did you have a first aid kit or how did you handle it?

Did any of these medical/trauma problems cause you to change your plans?
Were they easy to ignore or treat?
Did you think to yorself when they occured, "I sure wish I had _______ to take care of this"?

So many questions, all of this really helps thanks so much.

	tfisher wrote:
	Did any of these medical/trauma problems cause you to change your plans? Were they easy to ignore or treat? Did you think to yorself when they occured, "I sure wish I had _______ to take care of this"? So many questions, all of this really helps thanks so much.

Twisted my knee very bad. At the time I was archery hunting, and rolled my knee into the other one making me fall on both of them with a 20 pound pack on. (I'm a big guy to begin with) I had to try to walk out on it, but the pain was some of the worse I think I have ever felt, and after a few minutes my knee cap area had swollen up to the size of those novelty basketballs they give away. Shocked

The only thing I could do at the time was take three of my arrows and splint my left leg with them, some rope and some tape. I then used my bow as a make shift crutch to put my weight on a little bit (too much and the cams would start to roll) as I finnished getting out. Right now I don't think there would be anything I could pack that would have been more helpful without having to give up much needed space and weight.

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Where the Eagles fly, and the Caribou lie is where I want to be, the Wolf waits there for me.....
-Les Stroud

I done that to my knee just last week at a camp out. I was runing and my knee just poped out of joint and I hit the dirt. It took me a good 5 seconds just to pop it back in and after that I couldn't walk on it for about a day and a created a knee brace with a towel and alot of rope. It didn't stop hurting for about 3 days.

P.S. Active ON Is amazing stuff.

_________________

	tfisher wrote:
	Daffy........did the rolled ankle keep you from traveling or did you need assistance getting help? AND on the deep cut did you have a first aid kit or how did you handle it?

the rolled ankle i just took a break for a few min, broke off a tree limb and suck'd it up till I could get some ice on it.

The deep cut I had my first aid kit and was fine.

_________________
Never explain. Your friends don't need it and your enemies won't believe you anyway.

	tfisher wrote:
	Did any of these medical/trauma problems cause you to change your plans? Were they easy to ignore or treat? Did you think to yorself when they occured, "I sure wish I had _______ to take care of this"? So many questions, all of this really helps thanks so much.

Some minor adjustments here and there, the deep cut was during hunting season and I went home after treating the wound.

Most were easy to ignore and all weren't too bad to treat. wrapping a cut while alone is always a task tho.
I always have my first aid kit with me in the bush, so no I didn't wish i had _____.

_________________
Never explain. Your friends don't need it and your enemies won't believe you anyway.

	turd wrote:
	I can't ever remember cutting my self, with anything, knife, saw or axe But fish hooks, splinters and bug bits are common eric

Just to clarify, I cut my self all the time at home, when I'm sharpening them or playing around with them when I'm watching TV, I just can't remember cutting my self out and about Laughing

I pay a lot of attention whet using cutting tools but when it come burns I'm a dumb @$$.
When I burn my self I press it against something cool like steel and hold it there for five or ten minutes. That usually stops any blisters Very Happy

eric

Chigger bites (almost made me sick to my stumick when I got around 50 and the itching at night can make you go made)
tick bites (have had many! and they arnt fun)
many many cuts (thorn bushes)
blisters (the hike back was the worst)
sore butt ("sitting down really fast unexpectedly" )
I think that is it Confused

_________________
quote of the week: "Missed it by that much,"- Get Smart.

Last edited by wildthing on Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:49 pm; edited 1 time in total

cuts, bites, blisters, scrapes, splinters, burns, and some random things I cannot think of at this time. They don't hinder me much, just slow me enough to deal with the bite/burn or lick the wound. If its a bad cut, some antibiotic and a bandage...then continue on Laughing

Some people think I should be dead by now, I say it strengthens my immune system.

Disclaimer: Listen to professionals, they sometimes know what they are talking about. I just know my body well enough to know how something is going to cause it to react and what strain it can take. I will take certain risks, but will not act stupid. A large ego can get you killed.

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We only have one Earth, take care of her and she will take care of you. ~ probably someone else

Well i have a bad left knee, & out on a 6 hour hike i started to push myself towards the end.
There were lots of roots & rocks i was bounding over & my knee just gave out. Lots of pain for about 5 minutes.
I sat down had a energy bar & some water. Then wrapped it with my tensor bandedge. And slowly continued on.
It was killing me by the time i got back to my car. The 6 hour hike was 7.5 Confused

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
We are Known By The Tracks we Leave Behind
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Thankfully, I have not had any injuries in the woods. Smile

The worst that has happened to me is ticks and chiggers. Mad

_________________
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. - Prov. 27:17

Thanks again for this valuable information.
The reason for this post can be defined by this post I made on a different forum sometime ago and we are finishing up our changes to our PFAK's

Here is the post:

I have noticed some of my Search and Rescue students seem to get a false sense of security once they have prepared their personal first aid kit (PFAK). They seem to believe every medical situation can be addressed in the little kits. Most of the items in the kit are to take care of small everyday problems of cuts, blisters, headaches, and upset stomachs.

So my question is should we rethink our PFAK somewhat to aid in our survival or keeping the medical problem in check so it does not become more of a problem or trigger the domino effect of a true survival situation.

For instance consider the following survival scenario: A common reason or a trigger to a survival situation is an injury to our mobility, or in other words an injury to feet, legs or hips such that it removes your ability to walk. A hiker that is trekking through a very remote area that falls and fractures their foot or leg. This could be a serious survival situation. Now the hiker with no ability for mobility has to make shelter, fire and have water enough to survive. Now I know that all of the ETS readers will pick apart my simple scenario here and create ingenious remedies and solutions. But my question and point is; should we look at statistics of what medically creates survival situations and equip ourselves for those incidents instead of 2 gauze 2 x 2’s 3 aspirins, 2 adhesive bandages? I realize we must be realistic as well we can’t carry an emergency room in our packs either. Your Thoughts please!

Well Ted I know we cant prepare for everything this is only so much you can take. I suppose you can prepare for most of the common injuries and problems but when its something much more serious there is really not much you can do without medical attention from proffesionals. With that said we can do the next best thing and try to pack items can be make the time in aserious emergency less painful (Like taking asprins, having something to clean up the wounds, tools to extract dirty and infection.

I'm no medic so my advice only goes so far. Lets see what everyoen else has to say. Cool

_________________
"There dosen't look like there's much shelter over in those mountains, but that's the only choice I got right now, this is gonna be a long week" - Les Stroud Arctic

I will post my findings soon