First aid for fractures

According to statistics, every adult has a fracture of a bone 1-2 times during his life. Therefore, it is very important to know the rules of first aid for fractures in order to minimize the consequences of injury and not harm the victim.

A fracture is a violation of the integrity of the bone that occurs under the influence of trauma (fall, impact). First aid measures depend on the type of fracture. Learn from an expert traumatologist-orthopedist, Ph.D. Dmitry Kolovetnovwhat can and cannot be done in this case

Fractures are classified into complete and incomplete according to the completeness of the rupture of the bone, with and without displacement according to the position of the fragments relative to each other, open and closed according to the presence of skin damage.¹.

There are certain signs, by the presence of which one can suspect the presence of fractures. These symptoms include:

severe pain at the site of injury;
limb deformation;
the unnatural position of the limb;
swelling, hemorrhage,
pain when trying to move in an adjacent joint, pain and inability to step on the injured lower limb¹.

First aid for fractures always includes: immobilization of the limb, stopping bleeding, antiseptic treatment of the wound¹. The patient must be very carefully transported to a medical facility for medical care.

Broken arm

What can you do

A broken arm is one of the most common types of fractures that occur in everyday life. It is very important to know how to provide first aid. The most important thing is to immobilize the hand in time, otherwise a closed fracture may turn into an open one. For immobilization, it is necessary to attach a splint to the arm and fix it^1,2.

As a tire, you can use improvised materials: a board, plywood, a thick branch, etc.

There are several types of tires, which must be selected depending on the type of fracture.

Cramer’s ladder tire is made of wire. It must be applied over clothing. The tire is modeled on a healthy arm, and then applied to the damaged limb. It is important that the splint covers two joints².
Pneumatic tires are airtight chambers inside which a limb is placed. There are three main types of pneumatic tires – for the hand and forearm, for the foot and lower leg, and for the thigh. This type of splint is easy to use and is most often used not only by ambulance workers, but also by the Ministry of Emergency Situations, disaster medicine, and sports medicine. These types of splints can be used not only for fractures, but also for bruises, hemorrhages, and joint injuries.

With severe pain, you can take an analgesic drug – analgin, ketorol, ibuprofen, in the absence of allergic reactions to these drugs. Suspend the arm with the splint in a bent position at the elbow².

With the development of pain shock – that is, the body’s reaction to pain, in which the nervous and cardiovascular systems suffer, it is important to take immediate measures. Otherwise, this condition can lead to death. It is important to call an ambulance team and provide first aid to the victim before they arrive. The development of pain shock in the victim is evidenced by confusion, lethargy, pallor, a decrease in body temperature, a decrease in muscle tone, the patient does not understand what is happening to him. At the next stage, blood pressure decreases to 90-100 mm Hg, rapid pulse up to 120 beats. per minute, cold sweat.

The victim with symptoms of pain shock must be warmed with heating pads, blankets, drink hot tea. In case of vomiting or injuries of the abdominal cavity, it is forbidden to drink.

It is possible to transport the victim only after the elimination of the symptoms of shock.

With an open fracture of the arm The first step is to stop the bleeding. To do this, apply a tourniquet to the area above the wound.².

The harness is a durable rubber strip. The tourniquet is applied for 30-40 minutes, depending on the condition of the person, the season. A longer imposition can be fraught with necrosis, because the limb, in fact, is disconnected from the bloodstream, which can be fraught with the development of oxygen starvation. What to do if there was no tourniquet at hand? You can apply an impromptu tool, for example, a piece of fabric, ribbons, ropes, your own belt, etc.

There are two types of harnesses – tape and funnel.

A tape harness is a small piece of rubber tape. It may have holes for buttons, or buttons that allow you to fasten it.
Funnel tourniquets are usually used in extreme conditions. They are a wide synthetic band, fastened with Velcro, which provides a secure fit. Often such tourniquets are equipped with a medical beacon that tracks the application time.

Treat the wound with an antiseptic to prevent infection. After stopping the bleeding and treating the wound, the hand must be fixed².

What not to do

You can not pull your hand, trying to set the bones, putting them in a certain position.

Broken leg

A broken leg is also one of the most common types of fractures and occurs in people of all ages. The most common causes of its development are injuries during a fall, impact, accident, in athletes due to professional activity, in children due to their great mobility, in the elderly due to age-related changes in the bones (osteoporosis).

For leg fractures, the following symptoms are typical:

impaired limb mobility;
acute pain in the area of the fracture;
if large arteries are damaged, severe open bleeding develops with an open fracture, hemorrhages into the tissue with closed fractures are possible;
damage to the nerves can lead to a violation of innervation, as a result of which there may be no sensitivity².

What can you do

First aid for a broken leg consists in fixing it with a splint from improvised means – a board, a large branch, a ski pole, etc. When a leg is broken, a Dieterichs splint is used, which consists of wooden structures – boards with drilled holes¹. The parts are connected to each other and allow you to completely immobilize the limb. This type of tire is indicated for massive tissue damage, burns, frostbite, prolonged squeezing, damage to blood vessels and nerves.

It is necessary to stop the bleeding by applying a tourniquet above the wound. The wound must be treated with antiseptics. For severe pain, give painkillers such as analgin, ketorol, ibuprofen². The victim must be taken to a medical facility as soon as possible to provide qualified assistance.

What not to do

In no case should you try to set the bone yourself. This may make the situation worse.

spine fracture

A spinal fracture is one of the most severe, as it poses a threat to the life of the patient. It is very important to quickly provide first aid to the patient, fix the body in a motionless state and give painkillers. Even the slightest damage to the spine can make a person disabled for the rest of his life, lead to a complete loss of motor abilities.³. Fractures of the spine occur when falling from a great height, diving into the depths, with strong blows to the back, with malignant tumors, osteoporosis.

The danger of a fracture of the spine lies in the fact that bone fragments can damage the spinal cord passing through the spinal canal. Damage to nerve fibers, blood vessels can lead to a complete loss of sensitivity and motor ability of the limbs.³.

Signs of a spinal fracture include:

sharp pain in the area of the fracture, which may be accompanied by loss of consciousness or a sharp decrease in blood pressure;
with a fracture of the cervical spine, the head is in an unnatural position, breathing is disturbed, in most cases instant death occurs;
when the fracture is located in the thoracic spine, breathing is disturbed, and sometimes it comes to a complete stop;
with fractures of the lumbar region, involuntary acts of urination can be observed, the motor ability of the legs is impaired.

What can you do

First aid for a fracture of the spine is primarily in anesthesia. The victim must be given the strongest painkillers that are at hand. It is necessary to immobilize the patient’s body as much as possible, put it on a hard horizontal surface.

When transporting, you can use a board, door, plywood. The head must be fixed with a rigid collar made of any materials at hand, cotton wool, soft fabric, etc. It must be remembered that any movement can cause acute pain and cause additional injury to the victim.

What not to do

categorically it is impossible to try to seat the patient;
you can not try to lift the patient and put on his feet;
you can not pull and pull the patient by the legs or arms;
try to straighten the spine;
it is impossible to forcefully give medicines to a patient if he is unconscious.

pelvic fracture

A pelvic fracture is one of the most severe fractures of the musculoskeletal system. It can provoke the development of complications up to lifelong disability, the development of traumatic shock and death. Pelvic fractures are dangerous for the development of severe internal bleeding, which aggravates the patient’s condition.

A pelvic fracture can occur as a result of a fall from a height, in an accident, squeezing, i.e. with high energy trauma. The characteristic symptoms are:

severe pain in the pelvic area, in the groin, in the lower abdomen;
impossibility of movement, attempts cause pain,
bruising in the perineum;
on examination, deformation may be noticeable;
with massive bleeding – shock, a sharp drop in blood pressure;
the patient takes a forced “frog” position with legs bent at the knees.

What can you do

First aid for fracture of the pelvic bones includes:

calling an ambulance;
examination of the patient’s body for other injuries;
immobilization of the patient in a horizontal position with bent knees in the “frog” position;
fixation of the pelvis by bandaging with improvised material, for example, clothing;
under the knees you need to put a roller;
before the arrival of the ambulance, it is necessary to monitor the patient’s condition, feel the pulse, measure the pressure.

What not to do

It is strictly forbidden to torture the patient to his feet.
Try to seat the patient.

Broken ribs

Rib fractures are the most common chest injury. Its danger is the risk of damage to internal organs, lungs, cardiovascular system, as well as difficulty breathing.

With multiple fractures of the ribs (more than 3), the pleura, lungs, and cardiovascular system can be damaged, which is fraught with serious complications. With uncomplicated fractures of 1-2 ribs, recovery occurs by itself and no intervention from doctors is required.

The cause of a rib fracture may be a direct blow to the chest or compression of the chest.

Symptoms of a rib fracture include pain in the chest area, difficulty inhaling and exhaling. The fracture site may be swollen and painful. In more complex cases, pneumonia and coughing may develop.

What can you do

In most cases, rib fractures do not require fixation. In the absence of complications, recovery occurs on its own. The exception is complex and multiple fractures. In case of a fracture of 3 or more ribs, urgent hospitalization and the provision of qualified assistance are necessary.

What not to do

If the ribs are broken, it is necessary to limit physical activity, such as playing sports. Sudden movements (leaning forward, backward) can provoke pain.

Fracture of the lower leg

A broken leg is a common injury in both children and adults. Most often, it develops as a result of an unsuccessful fall, for example, when skiing, skating, falling from a height, as well as in an accident. Less often, a fracture of the lower leg can develop with a strong blow or a heavy object falling on the leg.

Symptoms of a tibia fracture common to most fractures include:

severe pain at the fracture site;
bleeding with an open fracture;
swelling of the lower leg at the fracture site, hemorrhage;
possible deformity of the lower leg when the bones are displaced,
pain when trying to axial load, with active movements in adjacent joints.

What can you do

Call an ambulance, and fix the limb by applying a splint from improvised means. Give the patient an anesthetic (analgin, ibuprofen, ketorol), in the absence of allergic reactions. In the presence of active bleeding, apply a tourniquet above the wound for up to 45-60 minutes, and then transport it to a medical facility.

What not to do

You can not try to set the bone yourself, leave the injured limb unfixed.

Shoulder fracture

The incidence of shoulder fractures is about 7% of all fractures. Shoulder fracture is accompanied by severe pain, swelling, deformity and shortening of the limb. Movement in the hand may be limited, if the nerves are damaged, the patient cannot straighten the hand and move his fingers on his own. In the presence of fragments, a crunch of bone fragments can be heard. A complication of a shoulder fracture is internal hemorrhage, for example, in the joint cavity⁴.

What can you do

When providing first aid, you must:

Reassure the victim, give an anesthetic (analgin, ketorol, ibuprofen). As a cardiovascular agent – valocordin, cordiamine.
Limit hand movements. For this, immobilization is carried out by applying tires from improvised means. You can use boards. One is applied to the shoulder, the other to the forearm. The arm is fixed in a position bent at the elbow, for this you need to put your hand in a scarf thrown over a healthy shoulder⁴. The bend of the arm should be carried out at a right angle to the elbow. In order to prevent displacement of the bones, the bandage must be tied as tightly as possible.
When transporting, it is necessary that the person sits.

What not to do

Do not try to correct any shoulder deformities on your own.
It is impossible to transport the victim without fixing the limb.

Hip fracture

Hip fracture is another common fracture that occurs in both children and adults. Hip fractures are often caused by falls and accidents. In the elderly, hip fractures occur due to osteoporosis, a disease in which bone becomes brittle. In the elderly, a slight fall can cause a hip fracture.

The characteristic symptoms of a fracture include severe pain in the area of damage, swelling of the tissue, deformity of the limb. In this case, the leg is usually turned outward. There are no movements. Possible shortening of the thigh, lack of sensitivity. The most severe complication of a hip fracture is massive hemorrhage into the soft tissues of the thigh.⁴. A fracture can be complicated by the presence of bone fragments that injure soft tissues.

What can you do

First aid for a hip fracture includes:

calling an ambulance;
stop bleeding by applying a tourniquet;
pain relief with analgesics such as analgin, ibuprofen, etc.;
fixation of the limb with a splint from improvised means;
immobilization of the victim and his transportation to a medical facility⁴.

What not to do

You can not try to set the bones yourself, correct the deformity.
Grab a limb.

Finger fracture

Occurs, as a rule, with a domestic injury, a blow intentional or by negligence.

What can you do

You can immobilize your finger, if you are not feeling well, contact a traumatologist for outpatient help, if you feel worse after an injury, call an ambulance.

Immobilization can be carried out using a non-tight adhesive bandage, which is applied to the injured finger and adjacent to it.

What not to do

Eliminate the deformity on your own – set, pull the injured finger.

Broken arm

What can you do

What not to do

Broken leg

What can you do

What not to do

spine fracture

What can you do

What not to do

pelvic fracture

What can you do

What not to do

Broken ribs

What can you do

What not to do

Fracture of the lower leg

What can you do

What not to do

Shoulder fracture

What can you do

What not to do

Hip fracture

What can you do

What not to do

Finger fracture

What can you do

What not to do

Popular questions and answers

How to provide first aid for an open fracture?

How to relieve pain in a fracture?

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