Turf burn is a miserable injury, and anyone who has experienced it to any degree can attest to how painful and irritating it can be. Turf burn is caused by friction between the skin and artificial turf or grass, and it happens if you fall hard, slide or get dragged along either. It is a common injury in contact sports, but also in soccer, from what I have heard.
Turf burn can be mild, and it can be severe, depending on how large and/or deep the wound is. It hurts like hell, and it’s a rather messy injury in the sense that the wound often oozes fluid, which also makes it pretty tricky to clean it and keep infection out.
Here is some information about how to best clean and care for turf burn, from medicalnewstoday.com.
- “Wash the hands before cleaning the wound and wear sterile gloves if possible.
- “If the wound is bleeding, hold a clean bandage or dressing firmly against the burn until the bleeding stops.
- “Clean any sand and dirt out of the wound with saline solution or water and mild soap, if available. Pat the wound dry with a clean cloth. It is vital to remove all the dirt and debris to reduce the risk of infection, even if this is very painful.
- “Apply an antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. Aloe vera is a suitable alternative to use if antibiotic ointment is not available. Aloe vera is cooling and acts as an extra barrier to bacteria. Research suggests that it may also have wound-healing properties. If topical ointment or aloe vera causes too much pain, just cover the clean, dry wound.
- “Place a non-stick medical dressing over the wound.
- “Cover the dressing with a breathable cotton bandage. The bandage will help to hold the dressing in place,” the web page states.
While it’s difficult, depending on the sport you play, try your best to avoid turf burn whenever you can.
Photo by Peter Burdon on Unsplash
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