Complete First Aid Box

Most sport is generally safe to participate in. However, sport remains an inherently physical activity and some risk of injury is inevitable. It is essential to have an adequate first aid kit to hand. But what should an ‘adequate’ sports first aid kit contain?

Soft Tissue Injuries
(e.g. Sprains, strains and bruises)
Cold packs and/or ice
Bandages
Strapping tape
Wounds and Abrasions
‘Roll-Type’ first aid dressings
Dressing pads
Bandages
Medical tape (e.g. micropore)
Adhesive dressings
Sterile saline or fresh tap water
Wipes
Medical gloves
Eye Injuries
Eyewash pods
Eye pads
Bandages
Medical Emergencies
(e.g. Fractures, shock, non-responsive casualties)
Face shield or pocket mask
Splinting material (e.g. flexi splint / SAM splint)
Foil blankets and/or fabric blankets
Important Extras
Decent scissors and/or Tufkut scissors
Triangular bandages
Clinical waste bags
Gauze or non-woven swabs
Optional Extras
Safety pins
Hand and surface sanitizer
Antiseptic
Tissues
Wound closures / Steri-Strips
We’ve tried to keep this list to absolute essentials – for instance we haven’t covered other important medical items (such as stretchers and frac immobilizers) that don’t fit inside a first aid kit. Nor have we dealt with more ‘thorny’ topics such as concussion or sudden cardiac arrest. Even so, just one copy of every item on this list would fill a small-to-medium first aid bag. You will need to think about what’s practical for you to carry, and whether you’re responsible only for your own safety or for that of other people too. For instance, if you go mountain biking alone you probably won’t be able to carry a kit of this size and may not feel the need. But if, on the other hand, you’re coaching organized team sport and still think this list is impractical you will have to adjust your arrangements to make it practical because you DO need this stuff.