By Ruchi Bagrodia, physical therapist at CHOC
Did you know that the physical therapy team provides wound care for the kids at CHOC?
Part of their scope of practice, both physical therapists and physical therapist assistants complete coursework in wound management during their higher level education. Several PTs and PTAs at CHOC have received specialized training in wound care and many have gone on to receive board certifications in wound care. With this training, a therapist is able to evaluate wounds, decide on the best treatment, and create a comprehensive wound care plan in collaboration with the patient, family, and medical team.
Physical therapists are able to use their expert knowledge of anatomy, tissue healing, movement and positioning to develop an individualized plan of care that also aims to improve movement and function. Successful wound healing may allow a child to more quickly return to school, participate in gym class and enjoy a summer trip to the beach with their family. The ultimate goal of physical therapy is to restore function and allow people to get back to the things they love doing!
How do PTs provide wound care at CHOC?
At CHOC, PTs and PTAs provide wound care services for kids on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. During an evaluation, a PT will decide how to best clean, dress, and protect the child’s wound, and also provide recommendations to the parent to encourage wound healing and to prevent complications.
Here are some tips to share with patients’ families when caring for their own minor wounds or skin injuries at home:
- Keep dried scabs moist using a healing ointment or petroleum jelly for faster healing time. While it may be challenging, try your best not to pick at scabs!
- If a wound is open (appearing wet, bleeding or draining liquid), cover it with some type of bandage. Leaving it open to air will increase the risk of infection.
- Common signs of infection include redness, swelling, pain and warmth. Call your doctor if you notice an increase in signs of infection that are not already being treated.
- When using over-the-counter antibiotic ointments for minor cuts and scrapes make sure to follow the dosage instructions. It is not recommended to use many of these ointments for more than seven days unless stated by your doctor. Many people have allergic reactions to triple antibiotic ointments. If you notice a wound is getting worse with an ointment, stop using it and talk to a health care professional.
- Hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol are commonly used to clean wounds, although both are damaging to your healthy skin cells. Instead, simply use mild soap and water to clean a cut or scrape.
- Different types of sandals, shoes, plus foot and ankle braces can all cause areas of redness caused by too much pressure to the skin. If the redness does not go away after 15 minutes upon removing the pressure, the fit needs to be modified to avoid further injury to the skin.
- Nutrition makes a difference in wound healing! Incorporate foods that are high in protein, Vitamins A and C, and Zinc into your diet to help with healing. Learn more by visiting ChooseMyPlate.gov for tips on how to create a balanced diet.
