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So over the years my shins have taken a beating - flat pedal pins, rocks flicked up, battered by undergrowth, assorted tumbles and crashes, both major and minor, hell even tripping over the damn pedals when I'm pushing the bike. Not helped by usually having bare skin below the knee until it's proper b@stard cold, so the cuts usually end up filthy and then despite best efforts to clean up the damage always end up going a bit sceptic.
The net result is that the skin on the front of my shins is like tissue paper, so splits open at the drop of a hat. Got brought to a head yesterday when I tagged a pedal riding a techy trail yesterday and ended up barking my shin on the bars when my foot pinged off. By the time I got home a couple of hours later and stripped my leg warmer off, 4 or 5" of skin came with it.... I can't remember the last time I had complete intact flesh on both legs!
So, any ideas how to make it heal properly? I *really* don't want to have to wear full shin pads for trail riding - it's bad enough wearing kneepads, but at least they keep your knees warm, and you can claim Sam Hill wannabeeitis, rather than just being an out-and-out mincer.
Thanks!
Not helped by usually having bare skin below the knee until it's proper b@stard cold
Wear riding trousers?
Use SPDs?
Sounds painful 😐
For healing the cuts my fave dressing is a hydrocolloid - Duoderm is one brand name. granuflex another. Slap it on and leave it there a week - it will fill with stinking gunk but it really works.
For prevention you are going to have to wear shinpads I think
Wear riding trousers?Use SPDs?
Hate wearing trousers - baggy shorts, then knee or leg warmers or kneepads. Until it's around zero I don't generally need anything more than kneewarmers - yesterday was the first time I'd worn leg warmers this winter, and I was cooking.
I do use spds. And flats. Mix and match. To be honest a good whack from an SPD does at least as much damage as a flat pedal does.
TJ - you reckon dress it? I normally just wash it out and leave it open as that's the quickest way to get it dried off. Hairy legs so plasters don't stick all that well anyway.
I normally just wash it out and leave it open as that's the quickest way to get it dried off
Clean wounds heal better if kept moist, that's what the dressings recommended by TJ will do. You need to clean the wounds better if you often get infections - when I had stitches in my shin (V12s!) the nurse used what looked like a little scrubbing brush, and spent far longer on the job than I ever would have.
TBH if your shins are that fragile I think you're daft not to wear pads.
Skin on shins is very fragile as the blood supply is poor. Leg ulcers are something you really don't want - they just get worse & worse.
I now have to wear a surgical stocking because I let one get a bit poorly so go and get specialist advice. I would try to see a vascular surgeon, not just a GP.
As johnners says - doing what you have done is why you now have delicate scar tissue on your shins
i had exactly the same problem when i used to powerlift. The bar used to rub the front of the shin while performing deadlift with the same result as you, thin skin that when knocked bleeds. Bottom line is i gave up the sport and about 2 years later the skin was back to normal, so i guess time is the healer.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=54981
Just an idea what about a pair of the Skins calf compression wear, pretty lightweight, still allow airflow by your knees and ankle, increase bloodflow to the area?
Might look a bit daft, but got to be better than what you are suffering?