Suspected fracture? First aid on the way to hospital

Falls at home, road accidents and sports injuries are the most common causes of broken bones. You cannot always tell a fracture from a bad sprain by looking, so it is safest to treat any painful, swollen injury as a possible fracture until an X-ray says otherwise.

Signs a bone may be broken

• Severe pain that gets worse with movement
• Swelling, bruising or an obvious deformity
• Being unable to move the limb or bear weight on it
• A grinding feeling, or a snap heard at the time of injury
• Numbness or tingling beyond the injury

What to do

• Keep the person calm and still
• Support the injured limb in the position you found it; do not try to straighten it
• Make a simple splint with a rolled newspaper, cardboard or a pillow, tied loosely above and below the injury
• Use a cloth sling for arm and wrist injuries
• Apply ice wrapped in a cloth to reduce swelling
• If the bone has broken through the skin, cover the wound with a clean cloth and do not push the bone back

What not to do

• Do not massage the injury or apply oil
• Do not pull or try to set the bone
• Do not give food or drink if the injury looks serious, in case surgery is needed
• Do not move someone with a suspected neck or back injury unless they are in danger

Call for help immediately if

• The person is unconscious, very drowsy or confused
• There is heavy bleeding
• A neck, back or hip injury is suspected
• The limb below the injury is cold, pale or numb