WOUNDS AND SWIMMING

People tend to enjoy being active and outdoors during the summer months but with wounds, bandages are more prone to getting soiled quicker with sweat, dirt, or water if you’re going on a water adventure which can all potentially contaminate your wound and result in infection. So what do we do for wounds when we are out and about this summer?

Here are some helpful tips from your wound doctor to enjoy the hot weather and still keep up with wound healing.

1. Keep bandages clean and dry (especially if going swimming)

To facilitate healing, dressings should be maintained clean and dry at all times.

If you are planning to take a dip and swim, it is more important to protect the wound from getting wet and saturated.

Wounds need to be protected against chlorinated water as it causes irritation to wounds and slow healing. There are also microscopic dangers in swimming pools, more in public ones, such as bacteria and other filth that can quickly cause a wound infection.

Protect the wounds from infection or further injury when swimming with waterproof bandages or plasters while you swim and splash in the water. The wound must be cleaned before covering it up so that no bacteria gets trapped underneath. Moreover, selecting the correct size and shape of the bandage will give you a good seal and prevent any wrinkles where the water along with bacteria might find their way in.

If water happens to get into the wound saturating the bandages, you will need to get out of the water, remove your dressings, clean the wound with a gentle antibacterial wound wash then replace it with fresh new dressings. Keeping soiled and saturated dressings on the wound makes a swamp of bacteria that will facilitate bacterial proliferation increasing problems with infection.

2. When not to swim with wounds

Generally, if wounds are covered with waterproof bandages, it will be fine to go swimming with clearance from your wound doctor but if you have larger or infected wounds, it is for the best not to go swimming even in chlorinated water. Swimming is temporarily contraindicated if your wound has stitches or if you have red, deep, bleeding, and/or heavily draining wounds.

For lakes, beaches, and rivers wherein you cannot determine if the water is safe and clean, wounds can easily get contaminated so it is highly recommended not to go swim and wait it out until you’re healed or swim at your own risk. The best time to swim is when your wound is in the healing phase and there are no signs of infection but even then, waterproofing the wound is vital for proper healing. Spending a lot of time in the water can also cause skin swelling affecting wound healing.

Find ways to enjoy summer without getting in the water until your wound heals. You can have a picnic at the beach, lie down with a good book, get into photography, walk along the sands, or watch the sunrise/sunset. The water will be waiting for you once you heal, but a non-healing wound with infection can easily turn into a nightmare.

3. Drink plenty of water

Wounds heal best in a moist (but not too moist) environment which means it is necessary to keep yourself hydrated. Dehydration is much more common than people think and the risk of dehydration is higher with hot weather as the body loses more moisture due to perspiration. Dehydration can hinder the delivery of oxygen, fluids, and nutrients needed at the wound site. Additionally, the epithelial cells creating new tissue for the wound work slower with decreased fluid for transport. These factors can slow or even halt the wound-healing process.

In normal weather, your body needs about 2L of fluid per day while on hot days (while healing from wounds, especially chronic ones), you will need more than 2L of fluids to avoid dehydration. Also, keep in mind that the majority of fluid intake should come from water and other healthy beverages plus moisture-rich fruits and vegetables.

Swimming with an open wound is possible as long as it is small, protected with a waterproof bandage, and ideally with a go signal from your wound doctor. Enjoying the summer in or out of the water with wounds should not be complicated. Just keep in mind that your health always comes first.

Now go have fun in the sun equipped with this information to help with your wound healing!

Author

Jenna Wishnew Dr Wishnew is a Board Certified General Surgeon practicing in the North Texas area She specializes in general surgery, gastroparesis, wound care, vein concerns and robotic surgery.