Webinar Date: April 21, 2021
DPMR board members Jack Macy and Steve Rowbury sat down to chat with member, runner, emergency medicine physician, and medical race director John Anderson about managing first aid issues while on long trail runs and ultra adventures. John shares insights from his own adventures and also covers off on topics such as what first aid gear you should carry in your bag, how to deal with blisters, homemade epipen, the effects of heat on hydration/salt levels, relocating a shoulder, and how to respond to snakebite. Listen in to gain several helpful takeaways that may save your run, your race or even your life.
Webinar Notes
- How to make your own epipen (YouTube)
- How to relocate a dislocated shoulder (YouTube)
- Diclofenace gel (topical anti-inflammatory)
John’s Gear List
For blisters:
- For “hotspots”–3M micropore paper tape
- Full on blister — First an adhesive like tincture of benzoin or medical adhesive spray, then paper tape, then Elastikon.
- If the skin has rubbed away then the first layer is a hydrogel such as Spenco second skin, and then the same as above.
For day kit (this is small and should fit in small ziplock bag):
- Cell phone or Garmin inReach type device
- Blister kit with papertape, Elastikon, and few squares of second skin. Also a few alcohol wipes to clean. needle or mini scalpel to drain
- Meds: few pills of acetaminophen (Tylenol), a little ginger ahrd candies for nausea or whatever seems to work for individuals, the alcohol wipes also serve a second purpose as sniffing them can help with nausea
- Duct tape on my poles for building splints or wound care (big cuts, etc)
- Allergy kit (depends on trip)–homemade epi pen, few pills of benadryl
- Few 4×4 squares of gauze
- Gloves depending on who you are with
- Any individual with specific medical conditions should bring appropriate meds (like bringing an inhaler if you have asthma)
Additional supplies depending on trip (location, length, etc.)
- Commercial tourniquet (mine are CAT brand)
- Medications: Prescription decadron (steroid good for altitude, allergy, etc) Zofran,
- Scissors or shears
- More wound supplies like gauze, sutures, small amount of betadine
- SAM splint
- Soup Bullion cubes
- Space blanket
For a Race
In my pack: Small blister kit with paper tape, small roll Elastikon, +/- needle, alcohol wipes, some ginger and acetaminophen, duct tape on my poles
In my drop bag or with my crew: Full on blister kit with paper tape, Elastikon, hydrogel squares, adhesive spray, big wet wipes to clean my feet, scalpel to lance blisters, gloves for my crew so they don’t have to touch my gnarly feet, more meds (acetaminophen, Diclofenic gel for aches, ginger and zofran for vomiting, throat lozenges, artificial tear eye drops–don’t use medicated ones, just the artificial tears), roll of duct tape, ACE wrap, big pair of scissors or trauma shears. some additional wound care stuff, lube, etc.
Full Med Kit
And then for the full med kit that I don’t need to carry on my back for a prolonged time there are several other items like IV kits, more medications (lidocaine, eye drops, abx, etc.) , more wound care/splint stuff, ACE wraps, sutures, airway items, chest seal dressings, pulse oximeter, glucometer, tweezers or multitool, trauma shears, tampons (also good for nosebleeds and some other wounds).
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