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FRACTURES

CAUTION

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

IS IT AN EMERGENCY?

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RECOMMENDED MODULES FOR TREATMENT

INJURIES

WOUNDS

BLEEDING

WHAT TO DO FIRST
CHECK FOR THE FOLLOWING SIGNS

There may be:

  • Deformity, swelling, and bruising at the fracture site
  • Pain and/or difficulty in moving the area
  • Shortening, bending, or twisting of a limb
  • Coarse grating (crepitus) of the bone ends that can be heard or felt (by casualty). Do not try to seek this.
  • Signs of shock, especially if the thighbone or pelvis are fractured
  • Difficulty in moving a limb normally or at all (for example, inability to walk)
  • A wound, possibly with bone ends protruding

how to treat it

TREATING A CLOSED FRACTURE

1. Advise the casualty to keep still.

Support the joints above and below the injury with your hands until it is immobilized with a sling or bandages, in the position in which it is found.

2. Place padding around the injury for extra support.

Take or send the casualty to the hospital; a casualty with an arm injury may be transported by car; call 911 for emergency help for a leg injury.

3. Secure the injured part to an unaffected part of the body.

For firmer support and/or if removal to the hospital is likely to be delayed, secure the injured part to an unaffected part of the body. For upper limb fractures, immobilize the arm with a sling. For lower limb fractures, move the uninjured leg to the injured one and secure with broad-fold bandages. Always tie knots on the uninjured side.

4. Treat for shock if necessary.

Do not raise an injured leg. Elevate an uninjured limb if shock is present. Monitor and record vital signs  while waiting for help. Check the circulation beyond a sling or bandage  every ten minutes. If the circulation is impaired, loosen the bandages.

TREATING AN OPEN FRACTURE

1. Cover the wound with a sterile dressing or large, clean, gauze pad.

Apply pressure around the injury to control bleeding; be careful not to press on a protruding bone.

2. Carefully place a sterile wound dressing or more clean padding over and around the dressing.

3. Secure the dressing and padding with a bandage.

Bandage firmly, but not so tightly that it impairs the circulation beyond the bandage.

4. Immobilize the injured part as for a closed fracture, and arrange to transport the casualty to the hospital.

5. Treat the casualty for shock if necessary.

Do not raise the injured leg. Monitor and record vital signs—level of response, breathing, and pulse—while waiting for help to arrive.

Check the circulation beyond the bandage every ten minutes.
If the circulation is impaired, loosen the bandages.

6. Be careful if there is protruding bone

If a bone end is protruding, build up pads of clean, soft,
nonfluffy material around the bone, until you can bandage
over it without pressing on the injury.

Consult a doctor