But some doctors advise against swimming until after stitches are removed and the wound is healed. It is best to check with your physician to determine whether you should make that big jump into a swimming pool.
However, avoid all natural water sources. To help speed the healing process, apply an antibiotic ointment, such as Neosporin, two times a day to the sutured or stapled wound. If you have just had surgery and still have an open wound going in the water is not a good idea. You need to keep your open wound dry and the only way to do that is onshore. Typically, after your stitches have been removed or dissolved and the wound has completely healed, it will again be safe to swim at the beach or in the pool.
Again, it is not recommended to swim with an open wound. Usually, stitches are removed within seven to 10 days after surgery. However, this is dependent on the location and size of the wound. Swimming should be avoided for a longer period of time if you have a pre-existing condition that can increase the risk of infection or delay healing.
You should also avoid swimming if you are wearing a cast or have an externally fixated device until your doctor has confirmed that it is safe to go back in the water.
You can cover a wound for swimming by using waterproof plasters and bandages to cover wounds. I got my first podium and a cool scar above my eye. As for swimming with stitches, IMHO, that's a better question for your doc than a forum.
Originally posted by trishie Well, I know I can, but should I? I swam High School sectionals with stitches in my head but wouldn't do it as a adult. The dumb kid in me did though. New Thread. View profile. Add to friends. Go to training log. Go to race log. Send a message. View album. Triathlon Talk » Can you swim with stitches? Moderators: k9car , alicefoeller. Pro Burbs. Expert The Woodlands, TX. Extreme Veteran Central New York. JC in Cinci AM in reply to: Veteran JC My Race Log.
DrPete AM in reply to: Expert Southern Pines, NC. Extreme Veteran Rocklin. I actually laughed out loud at your post. Finally, an opinion on a topic that comes from an expert!!!
Trishie, ride that new bike, wait until the doc says to get into the water. Houstonrider AM in reply to: You should also look out for initial signs of pain or soreness on your stitching. Apart from using waterproof bandages, as well as a dressing, there is nothing else that you can do. Because swimming will require you to submerge and dip in the water, you just have to rely on your dressing. If your wound is on the head, neck, or upper extremities, then you can also resort to pools with lower depths.
In this way, you can better avoid getting your stitches wet. Apart from prepping your stitches, you also need to do some things to take care of them after swimming.
See the following:. Even if your dressing is waterproof, you should still change into a new one after swimming. This is the same with the bandages that you used. This is to prevent the formation of bacteria on your wounds and incisions.
Moisture can prevent your stitches from having a quick recovery. When you remove the dressing and bandages, you will surely find your stitches moist. Again, apply a new set of topical ointment if there is.
Doing this will compensate for the time that your wounds and stitches are submerged in water and moisture. Doing this will help you avoid discomfort and pain in the long run. You should also check if your stitches look different or worse than earlier. It will help you know if there are initial signs of infections. You can also choose to rest in between swimming sessions. You need to wait for at least 48 hours. Once you pass the time limit, then you can take a swim.
There is a higher risk of infection because it will expose your wounds to more bacteria. Moreover, chlorine may irritate your stitches. This is the same for salt water. The latter may even cause you more physical pain.
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