If a casualty is bleeding from a leg wound and trouser material is stuck to it, what should you do?

When a casualty has a leg wound with trouser material stuck to it, the best course of action is to cut around the stuck material. This approach is crucial because pulling the material off can cause further damage and exacerbate the bleeding by disrupting any clotting that may have begun to occur.

In situations where clothing is adhered to a wound, cutting away the material allows for proper assessment of the injury without disturbing it too much. It also enables the application of appropriate wound care, such as direct pressure or a bandage designed to control bleeding.

Leaving the material alone until help arrives might prevent immediate treatment and could lead to complications, such as infection or increased blood loss. Applying more bandages over the stuck material, while it may seem like a way to control bleeding, does not address the underlying issue of the trapped fabric which could interfere with proper wound management. Therefore, cutting around the stuck material provides a balance between managing the injury and facilitating effective healing.