Avoiding and Treating Injury In The Wilderness

Outdoor activities are not only fun, but they also get us away from our day-to-day routines.  Getting out into the wilderness allows us to see the natural world and spend some time with friends or relatives.  Getting out of the city to listen to birdsong or breathe fresh air is wonderful, but as with most situations, there is also the potential for trouble.  Preparing yourself before you start hiking, climbing, or camping can make your trip safer and more enjoyable.

Stay In Shape

While hiking and camping are great leisure activities, they are also very demanding on the body.  Walking for miles with a heavy pack on your back, climbing steep hills or even mountains, and even setting up a campsite in a remote spot all require a certain amount of physical strength.  Falls, sprains, and even broken bones can result from the inability of the person to meet even the least of physical challenges.  Following a regular program of exercise and healthy diet is the best way to prepare your body for outdoor sports.  Not only will you be stronger, but your balance will be much better.  Many falls are caused simply because the person’s sense of balance was poor, and falling and breaking a leg when you are 25 miles from the nearest help will definitely present difficulties.

Understand Your Limitations

All too often, people become injured simply because they refuse to admit that something is beyond them.  A climb may just be too difficult for their experience or strength, or they are sure they can ford that swollen river.  Sometimes they will just try to push on for another couple of miles before setting up camp, even though they and everyone in the party is already exhausted.  When you are far from immediate help, make an honest assessment of what you can or cannot do – everyone has limitations.

Treating Injuries

Fortunately, most injuries sustained on a backwoods outing will be minor – scrapes or bruises or perhaps an insect sting.  In the case of these injuries, your first aid kit should provide everything you need to repair the damage.  The wound will simply need to be cleaned, treated, and bandaged.  If someone has been stung, check to make sure a stinger is not still embedded, and if it is, carefully remove it with tweezers.  Take care not to squeeze the poison sac.  Antihistamines will help with this. For injuries a bit more serious than just needing a bandage, we suggest A Trauma Medical Unit that includes ice packs and splint kits. Unfortunately, things happen that need professional assistance to control. Until medics get there, it is good to be prepared.

However, falls and other more traumatic injuries can also occur in the great outdoors, and having a few extra items in your first aid kit can really make a profound difference.  Deep cuts or gashes can cause serious bleeding problems, which is why you should have either granular Celox or Celox gauze in your kit.  This product will stop even arterial bleeding, and can be a real life saver when you are far from assistance.  Dealing with broken limbs, which can occur from falls, can be easier if you have splinting products on hand.  Universal Aluminum Splint or Sam Splints are an excellent choice and take up little room in a backpack.  A new item is the inflatable splint, which is slipped onto the broken limb while deflated, then blown up.  All of these products will go a long way to containing serious injuries until professional medical help is available.