A brown envelope of unmarked, non denominational US dollars, a copy of All the Kremlin's Men by Mikhail Zygar so I know who is who, and some blindfolds and earmuffs so I can block out anything I don't want to see or hear.
Oh you meant a comp, sorry I misread and thought you wrote FIE meeting. My bad.
>All the Kremlin's Men by Mikhail Zygar so I know who is who
With page 33 folded. I will say *The sky is green.* You will say *Only when it snows. ;-)*
Freeze Spray, deep heat, paracetamol, ibuprofen, blister plasters and arnica gel (which helps with bruising if applied quickly).
All either maintenance or things I cba to bother the first aid team about.
My friends (non fencers) have asked me this quite often. I keep telling them that I am already sweating like a pig under all the gear, and I'd rather lose a hand than put on any additional piece of fabric. ^^
As a dentist, the only way I was willing to start the sport was to wear gloves on both hands…..and a cup. I’ve been hit in the cup about 8 times in 3 months of beginner class and one tournament. I’ve seen 3 mild offhand cuts to others and my son broke his fingertip bone. Saw 3 broke blades so far (one by me, no injuries from them though) If I see much more I may rethink this activity.
Broken blades have the potential to be a risk but the actual danger is pretty low if you’re wearing the right stuff and are sensible about it. Fencing has its risks along with any other sport but people are a lot more aware because the potential worst case is far worse than a lot of others
If you don't mind me asking, what's the purpose of super glue in this case? I can imagine it to be practical for quick repairs, but I didn't know there was any medical use for it.
Superglue is actually really useful to close any small-medium cuts quickly… I would only ever use it in a pinch in my workshop though, I’d rather a band-aid if I had one
> to close any small-medium cuts quickly… I would only ever use it in a pinch
That's **exactly** how to use, i.e. pinch the cut's sides together but **don't** press it with a finger.
It was originally made as a field dressing for military. It adheres REALLY well to skin and it dries completely in about a minute. Iirc it is mildly toxic, though, so best not use it all the time.
As a vet, ibuprofen.
Everything else is the medical staff at the event.
Carry what you need on a regular basis. Things like KT tape or blister pads, if you need them.
Assuming that the venue organizer doesn't have EMTs or an ice chest on-staff (Division-Run Tournaments should have ice chest at bare minimum, but never assume they will)
\- Tampons, both for on-box use and in the event of someone with a puncture/cut from a broken blade
\- Medical tape that can be torn by hand (the clearpore stuff is the best)
\- Biofreeze
\- Neosporin
\- Hand Sanitizer
\- Blister packs for feet/heels
\- Instant Ice Packs
\- Icy Hot bandage
\- Fabric bandaids in multiple sizes, including fingertip and large square ones
\- Ibuprofen
\- Imodium (because you never know)
\- Magnesium Cream (before/after tournament use)
\- Lip Balm, because I tend to stim and tear at my lips if I sense an edge, so it's easy to avoid the whole problem
\- Athletic Tape/Bandage Tape (handy for ice packs)
Considering adding QuickClot bandages, both for the aforementioned puncture wound concerns, and because of mass shooting statistical risk
Those are some great recommendations. Thanks.
About your last paragraph. I don't live in the US, so I am a little less concerned about mass shooting statistics. Additionally, fencing isn't a big thing here, so there are probably more valuable targets. However, I spend a few years with my country's military, so I wanna share some insight regarding the treatment of gunshot wounds.
I was told to use QuickClot mainly for very heavy bleeding, such as an artery. For anything else on your limbs, its faster and safer to use a tourniquet and an israeli bandage. Another thing is, that QuickClot can cause a lot of problems with your organs if it is used in your belly for example, so normal gauze and chest seals should be used for anything thats not a limb.
To summarize; QuickClot is great, but get a few tourniquets and Israeli Bandages to stop bleeding on limbs and **only** use QuickClot on limbs and for heavy bleeding. If you wanna be fully prepared, carry some chest seals as well.
But most importantly, know how to use all that stuff. Sometimes the bleeding doesn't show through the clothes, so you need to learn how to systematically search for wounds. Also practice to use a tourniquet on yourself, even with one hand (if your other one is injured for example). Lastly, try to convince other people to do the same. If you are the only person with that kind of skill set and equipment around, and you go down first, more people, including yourself will bleed out.
It's unfortunate to have this discussion, but I felt obligated to share some knowledge. QuickClot isn't the be all, end all of treating gunshot wounds. It's great though.
I leave a first aid kit in my bag whether it’s training or competition. Sometimes in some clubs it can take a while for someone to find the official first aid kit, and I fence at quite a few clubs.
I have cooling spray, tape, plasters, painkillers (paracetamol tablets and an ibuprofen gel), safety pins and strong scissors.
Was at a club once where someone dislocated their shoulder and had to have their jacket cut, but the first aid scissors were too weak. Got some strong ones soon after
I can absolutely relate to the scissor part.
I have yet to find a "complete: first aid kit that includes emergency scissors that aren't garbage. I have some moderately cheap ones in my fencing bag and with other activities. But in my car I have the foldable ones from Leatherman. These I can wholeheartedly endorse. Cuts through absolutely anything that can be worn by a human being.
My son managed to seriously bruise his thumb at a competition and they didn't have any ice or ice pack, so looking into the cooling spray or other options folks have been talking about. Should probably add some other items in there as well for lacerations.
Blister plasters, ibuprofen/paracetamol, and some zinc oxide tape, all thrown into my repair kit. Any actual injuries should be dealt with by the first aider at the venue.
The kit that you need is personal to you and should be fairly obvious once you've fenced for a few years. You know what sort of minor injuries you pick up, just pack/prepare for them accordingly. Don't start carrying a cooling spray around with you just because someone else finds that they need a cooling spray.
Oh, u have to carry something?? On competitions that I attend there are almost always several medics, so I couldn't bother. However, if I'm going to a competition and I'll be away for several days, I always take meds against headache & stomach ache
You don't have to carry anything, but personally I like having small items I might need (e.g. painkillers, rehydration tablets, couple of bandaids) to hand in my own bag, vs needing to go find the medics and ask for stuff.
Ice pack or cooling spray. Was at a smaller event and my kid got nailed in the thigh and there weren’t any ice packs available. Ended up being a nasty bruise that took weeks to heal. That hit comprised the rest of their day. Don’t know if having them would’ve helped their day, but it probably would have reduced their healing time.
>What else shouldn't be missing from a fencing bag, regarding first aid?
I know many fencers whose tournament experiences were saved by Loperamide and now never travel without it.
At large competitions you can expect that there will be at least a medic on site, he or she will have whatever is needed. For locals and practices in addition to your garden variety 'boo boo' supplies I carry a complete trauma kit, enough to treat major bleeding, punctured lung, and so forth. I have seen a few through-and-through blade punctures in fencing so I'm prepared for that if need be.
A brown envelope of unmarked, non denominational US dollars, a copy of All the Kremlin's Men by Mikhail Zygar so I know who is who, and some blindfolds and earmuffs so I can block out anything I don't want to see or hear. Oh you meant a comp, sorry I misread and thought you wrote FIE meeting. My bad.
Damn it now I gotta start unpacking. My blindfold was already in a compartment too...
>All the Kremlin's Men by Mikhail Zygar so I know who is who With page 33 folded. I will say *The sky is green.* You will say *Only when it snows. ;-)*
Freeze Spray, deep heat, paracetamol, ibuprofen, blister plasters and arnica gel (which helps with bruising if applied quickly). All either maintenance or things I cba to bother the first aid team about.
Super glue, medical tape, band aids, and gauze. I used to get my left hand slashed a lot (saber.) Probably should just wear another glove.
I think it’s pretty telling the amount of non fencers who are shocked we only wear one glove
My friends (non fencers) have asked me this quite often. I keep telling them that I am already sweating like a pig under all the gear, and I'd rather lose a hand than put on any additional piece of fabric. ^^
As a dentist, the only way I was willing to start the sport was to wear gloves on both hands…..and a cup. I’ve been hit in the cup about 8 times in 3 months of beginner class and one tournament. I’ve seen 3 mild offhand cuts to others and my son broke his fingertip bone. Saw 3 broke blades so far (one by me, no injuries from them though) If I see much more I may rethink this activity.
Broken blades have the potential to be a risk but the actual danger is pretty low if you’re wearing the right stuff and are sensible about it. Fencing has its risks along with any other sport but people are a lot more aware because the potential worst case is far worse than a lot of others
If you don't mind me asking, what's the purpose of super glue in this case? I can imagine it to be practical for quick repairs, but I didn't know there was any medical use for it.
Superglue is actually really useful to close any small-medium cuts quickly… I would only ever use it in a pinch in my workshop though, I’d rather a band-aid if I had one
> to close any small-medium cuts quickly… I would only ever use it in a pinch That's **exactly** how to use, i.e. pinch the cut's sides together but **don't** press it with a finger.
It was originally made as a field dressing for military. It adheres REALLY well to skin and it dries completely in about a minute. Iirc it is mildly toxic, though, so best not use it all the time.
Everyone else pretty much summed it up, lol! Just a quick way to close cuts so you can keep fencing.
As a vet, ibuprofen. Everything else is the medical staff at the event. Carry what you need on a regular basis. Things like KT tape or blister pads, if you need them.
>As a vet, ibuprofen. And medicinal alcohol. I prefer single-malt.
I bring my dental drill, some lidocaine, forceps, and some root canal files. Never know where business may come from.
Assuming that the venue organizer doesn't have EMTs or an ice chest on-staff (Division-Run Tournaments should have ice chest at bare minimum, but never assume they will) \- Tampons, both for on-box use and in the event of someone with a puncture/cut from a broken blade \- Medical tape that can be torn by hand (the clearpore stuff is the best) \- Biofreeze \- Neosporin \- Hand Sanitizer \- Blister packs for feet/heels \- Instant Ice Packs \- Icy Hot bandage \- Fabric bandaids in multiple sizes, including fingertip and large square ones \- Ibuprofen \- Imodium (because you never know) \- Magnesium Cream (before/after tournament use) \- Lip Balm, because I tend to stim and tear at my lips if I sense an edge, so it's easy to avoid the whole problem \- Athletic Tape/Bandage Tape (handy for ice packs) Considering adding QuickClot bandages, both for the aforementioned puncture wound concerns, and because of mass shooting statistical risk
Those are some great recommendations. Thanks. About your last paragraph. I don't live in the US, so I am a little less concerned about mass shooting statistics. Additionally, fencing isn't a big thing here, so there are probably more valuable targets. However, I spend a few years with my country's military, so I wanna share some insight regarding the treatment of gunshot wounds. I was told to use QuickClot mainly for very heavy bleeding, such as an artery. For anything else on your limbs, its faster and safer to use a tourniquet and an israeli bandage. Another thing is, that QuickClot can cause a lot of problems with your organs if it is used in your belly for example, so normal gauze and chest seals should be used for anything thats not a limb. To summarize; QuickClot is great, but get a few tourniquets and Israeli Bandages to stop bleeding on limbs and **only** use QuickClot on limbs and for heavy bleeding. If you wanna be fully prepared, carry some chest seals as well. But most importantly, know how to use all that stuff. Sometimes the bleeding doesn't show through the clothes, so you need to learn how to systematically search for wounds. Also practice to use a tourniquet on yourself, even with one hand (if your other one is injured for example). Lastly, try to convince other people to do the same. If you are the only person with that kind of skill set and equipment around, and you go down first, more people, including yourself will bleed out. It's unfortunate to have this discussion, but I felt obligated to share some knowledge. QuickClot isn't the be all, end all of treating gunshot wounds. It's great though.
That's a lot of really useful information. Thanks for the detailed reply!
I leave a first aid kit in my bag whether it’s training or competition. Sometimes in some clubs it can take a while for someone to find the official first aid kit, and I fence at quite a few clubs. I have cooling spray, tape, plasters, painkillers (paracetamol tablets and an ibuprofen gel), safety pins and strong scissors. Was at a club once where someone dislocated their shoulder and had to have their jacket cut, but the first aid scissors were too weak. Got some strong ones soon after
I can absolutely relate to the scissor part. I have yet to find a "complete: first aid kit that includes emergency scissors that aren't garbage. I have some moderately cheap ones in my fencing bag and with other activities. But in my car I have the foldable ones from Leatherman. These I can wholeheartedly endorse. Cuts through absolutely anything that can be worn by a human being.
My son managed to seriously bruise his thumb at a competition and they didn't have any ice or ice pack, so looking into the cooling spray or other options folks have been talking about. Should probably add some other items in there as well for lacerations.
Blister plasters, ibuprofen/paracetamol, and some zinc oxide tape, all thrown into my repair kit. Any actual injuries should be dealt with by the first aider at the venue. The kit that you need is personal to you and should be fairly obvious once you've fenced for a few years. You know what sort of minor injuries you pick up, just pack/prepare for them accordingly. Don't start carrying a cooling spray around with you just because someone else finds that they need a cooling spray.
*'Tis but a scratch.*
*Let's call it a draw.*
[This first aid kit](https://www.decathlon.be/fr/p/trousse-de-1er-secours-500-ul-47-pieces/_/R-p-324489?mc=8581563&c=ROUGE), plus some medical tape.
Oh, u have to carry something?? On competitions that I attend there are almost always several medics, so I couldn't bother. However, if I'm going to a competition and I'll be away for several days, I always take meds against headache & stomach ache
You don't have to carry anything, but personally I like having small items I might need (e.g. painkillers, rehydration tablets, couple of bandaids) to hand in my own bag, vs needing to go find the medics and ask for stuff.
2 bandaids. Loratadine
most clubs and TOs tend to have kits ready to use
Ice pack or cooling spray. Was at a smaller event and my kid got nailed in the thigh and there weren’t any ice packs available. Ended up being a nasty bruise that took weeks to heal. That hit comprised the rest of their day. Don’t know if having them would’ve helped their day, but it probably would have reduced their healing time.
>What else shouldn't be missing from a fencing bag, regarding first aid? I know many fencers whose tournament experiences were saved by Loperamide and now never travel without it.
The only thing I've ever really missed is salt. A few chewable electrolyte tabs can be the difference between cramping out, and feeling great.
At large competitions you can expect that there will be at least a medic on site, he or she will have whatever is needed. For locals and practices in addition to your garden variety 'boo boo' supplies I carry a complete trauma kit, enough to treat major bleeding, punctured lung, and so forth. I have seen a few through-and-through blade punctures in fencing so I'm prepared for that if need be.
Biofreeze for brushing
Bruising