First aid at the Virgin London Marathon

St John Ambulance will be providing first aid again at the Virgin London Marathon and have released figures on the most common complaints and how to avoid them.

New figures from the charity reveal that cramp is likely to be the top complaint for runners, with nearly 2400 people visiting a St John Ambulance first aider with this problem at the event in 2009. The next most common injury is bleeding and soreness caused by clothing irritation – over 1500 suffer from this eye-watering ailment.

Other statistics show:

• 500 runners suffer from exhaustion or weakness
• Nearly 500 are treated for blisters
• Nearly 500 get a sprain or strain to the ankle or knee.

Ann Cable, Commissioner of St John Ambulance at London, who is in charge of the first aid service at the marathon on the day, says: 'Cramp is common but can be easily avoided by ensuring you have appropriate levels of salts and fluids. The Virgin London Marathon medical advice is to start the race well hydrated and drink when you feel the need but without gulping.

'We also see a lot of people whose clothing is rubbing and causing irritation, particularly in the groin area, as that's obviously where there is a lot of friction as people run longer than they've generally run before. The best thing here is prevention – ensure you have seamless clothing or put some petroleum jelly on the area to ease friction.

'If you do suffer on the day though, all is not lost, our first aiders can be found all along the course. We get through 200 bottles of baby oil for treating cramp with massage and have 250 tubs of petroleum jelly available to protect sensitive areas of the body, as well as treating runners or spectators for more serious conditions.'

St John Ambulance has been looking after first aid at the marathon since it began in 1981. The charity has the following available on the day:

• 1400 medical, nursing and first aid volunteers
• 50 specialist crewed ambulances
• 30 cycle response units (first aiders on bicycles who can weave in and out of crowds easily)
• 2000 plasters for blisters or grazes
• 400 ice packs for sprains
• 1500 rehydration sachets for dehydration.

The charity will also be giving out free pocket-sized first aid guides for spectators to take away. The guides help in five common life-threatening situations that we could all face every day (choking, bleeding, heart attack, unconscious person who is breathing and one who is not breathing). The guides will equip people with the knowledge to be the difference between a life lost and life saved.