Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - January 2008 - (Page 43)

MONTHLY FEATURE STORIES TIP OF THE MONTH “The best way to help abrasions heal is to keep them clean and not dried out,” Dr. Gordon further explained, going on to recommend “semi-occlusive dressing” like Tegaderm, a 3M product or Opsite. Prior to bandaging, Dr. Gordon said the wound should be treated after cleaning with an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin. Dr. Gordon really opened my eyes when he explained the dangers of road rash if it becomes infected. While many of us often treat road rash as a painful but not seriously dangerous injury, Dr. Gordon makes it clear that extreme This dramatic re-enactment is exactly how the author’s last second-degree burn occurred. Hot pipes will inflict a serious care must be taken to prevent infection burn in a split-second, so waiting for pipes to cool before service work is always a good idea. around any wound on or near a joint, a most common place to find a good case of road rash, like on knees or elbows, for example. “You can permanently loose use of a joint after only a day or so of an infection,” Dr. Gordon writes. “If a joint next to a scrape starts to get more painful when you move it (especially if putting weight on the joint causes pain) have it checked immediately.” Another bad but common area to pick up road rash is on the palms of the hand, “If you’ve got a fullthickness scrape on the palm side of your hands or fingers, see a doctor,” Dr. Gordon explained. “Hands are tremendously complex and intricate structures, and full-thickness skin loss in this area can cause long-term problems.” While the medical issues are complex, Dr. Gordon explains that prevention is relatively simple: he highly recommends protective riding gear and gloves to prevent all this from happening in the first place. Head First While helmets are a wise investment for any biker, there are numerous kinds, some offer only minimal protection while others, the fully enclosed kind, offer quite a bit more. I’ve never liked these as I find them confining, but in the chapter, appropriately titled “Saving Face” Dr. Gordon makes a very good case for the use of a full helmet. One of many things it can protect is your teeth. Dr. Gordon says it’s quite common to lose one or more teeth in an accident, and if you come in to the emergency room with tooth in hand, forget it; it’ll be dead because it was allowed to dry out. There is, howevWhile this helmet is DOT approved, it provides far er, an emergency tip that can save a knocked out tooth, so long as quick less protection than a full face helmet. action is taken. “Best thing to do is very gently rinse off the dirt (don’s scrub it – the soft layer of tissue on the surface of the root must be kept intact) and then try to put it back into its socket,” Dr. Gordon advises. If this is impractical, the tooth can be kept in saline solution or milk, but not water. This must be done quickly because Dr. Gordon reports it only takes a dry tooth minutes to die. Quite frankly, I never thought there was anything you could do once a tooth leaves its happy home, and this is but one of dozens of valuable, often lifesaving, pieces of information contained in Dr. Gordon’s book. Another great positive is that while the subject is quite serious, Dr. Gordon’s writing style is light and full of humor. The book’s a good read, irrespective of its topic, and one any motorcyclist will find well worth the time. It’s available now at many book stores, or direct from the publisher, White Horse Press, Center Conway, NH. Sure, none of us really wants to dwell on the possibility of injury, but being knowledgeable can save your life, or that of a friend in need. Be careful out there. WALNECKS.COM I WALNECK’S CLASSIC CYCLE TRADER® I JANUARY 2008 43 http://WALNECKS.COM

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Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - January 2008 Contents Message from Heidi Boe, General Manager American How to Use the eBook - See The Buzz The Buzz w/ Buzz Walneck Bench Racing w/ Mark Zimmerman Mid America Auction’s Ron Christenson Biker of The Month Tip of The Month 1971 Harley Davidson Baja 100 3rd Annual Barber Vintage Festival Recap Event Listings & Advertisements British 1956 BSA Goldstar 500 European 1975 Ducati 860 GT Rhinebeck National Antique Motorcycle Show & Swap Meet Recap Japanese 1966 Yamaha YM-305 Competition Motorbikes & Scooters Antique Cycle Clubs Antique Cycle Club Listings Parts, Accessories, Want Ads How to Place a Word Ad How to Place a Photo Ad Area Code Directory How to Subscribe

Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - January 2008

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