First Aid: Sprains and Fractures

A sprain happens when ligaments, the fibrous tissues that connect bones at a joint, pull or tear. Most sprains hurt, and some take even longer than a broken bone to heal.

If a bad sprain or a fracture occurs and you can't get first-aid supplies, make do with what's on hand and call for help right away.

• A broken leg can be splinted to the good leg. You can also use a rolled-up towel or a piece of wood, like a stick, as a splint if you are in the woods or away from medical care.
• Keep an injured arm from moving by cradling it in a sling. Fold a bandana or scarf into a triangle and tie it behind the neck. Or the bottom of a shirt can be safely pinned up to the top of the shirt, creating a makeshift sling.

Here are two ways to control bleeding.

• Use gauze or a cloth to apply direct pressure to the source of the bleeding to stop the bleeding.
• If a bone has broken through the skin, cover the wound with loosely wrapped gauze or cloth. Don't increase damage by pressing directly on the bone or pushing it back into place.

Here are some tips to help keep the injured area from moving.

• Put a rigid material (splint) next to the injury, and tie or tape it in place. Secure the splint above and below the injury.
• Don't increase damage by straightening an injury.
• Don't fasten the splint too tight. If toes or fingers become pale, cold, or numb, loosen the splint right away.
• If you think a joint is dislocated, rest, elevate, and apply ice to the joint.

Use these tips to ice and raise (elevate) the injury.

• Place ice or a cold pack on the injury for 20 minutes every 3 to 4 hours to limit swelling and pain. Wrap the ice or cold pack in a thin towel before putting it on the skin. This helps prevent a cold injury to the skin.
• If possible, raise the injury above the heart to ease swelling.

Get medical help right away if any of the following is true:

• The injury has forced a joint beyond its normal range of motion and now the joint won't work.
• A strong force, such as a fall, placed great stress on a bone or joint, especially if you heard a snap.
• The joint or limb looks crooked or bowed.
• You think a bone may be broken.
• You have numbness or tingling, or your limb is pale and cool.

Call911right away if:

• A bone is sticking out through the skin.
• The person has decreased feeling or movement in their arms or legs. Also call911 if the person has pain in the neck or back (a possible spinal cord injury). While you wait for emergency services to arrive:
  • Keep the person's head, neck, and back exactly as you found them. If available, place heavy objects around their body to support their body and neck. This will help prevent more injury. Or hold their head still with your hands.
  • Move the person only to save their life. With help from other people, lift the person as one unit, supporting the head, midsection, and legs. Don't straighten the person, raise their legs, or tip their head in any direction.