• Joel W Beam.
• University of North Florida, Brooks College of Health, Athletic Training & Physical Therapy Department, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA. jbeam@unf.edu
• J Athl Train. 2008 Oct 1; 43 (6): 600-7.

ContextAcute skin trauma during sport participation, resulting in partial-thickness abrasions, is common. The limited investigations focusing on the acute wound environment and dressing techniques and the subsequent lack of evidence-based standards complicate clinical wound care decisions.ObjectiveTo examine the effects of occlusive dressings on healing of standardized, partial-thickness abrasions.DesignControlled, counterbalanced, repeated-measures design.SettingUniversity laboratory.Patients Or Other ParticipantsSixteen healthy women (n = 10) and men (n = 6).Intervention(S)Four standardized, partial-thickness abrasions were inflicted. Film, hydrogel, and hydrocolloid occlusive dressings and no dressing (control) were applied. Participants returned on postwound days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 for digital imaging. Wound healing time was measured by change in wound contraction (cm(2)) and change in wound color (chromatic red) and luminance in red, green, and blue color values.Main Outcome Measure(S)Wound contraction, color (chromatic red), and luminance.ResultsA day-by-dressing interaction was found for wound contraction, color, and luminance. Post hoc testing indicated that the film and hydrocolloid dressings produced greater wound contraction than the hydrogel and no dressing on days 7 and 10. Film, hydrogel, and hydrocolloid dressings also resulted in greater wound contraction than the control on day 14. Hydrocolloid dressings produced smaller measures of color and greater measures of luminance than no dressing on day 7. Film, hydrogel, and hydrocolloid dressings also resulted in smaller measures of color and greater measures of luminance compared with no dressing on days 10 and 14.ConclusionsWhen compared with the control (no dressing), the film, hydrogel, and hydrocolloid occlusive dressings were associated with a faster healing rate of partial-thickness abrasions across time measured by wound contraction, color, and luminance. Overall, these data indicate that occlusive dressings were more effective in healing than no dressing was.

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