Bone and Joint Injuries and First Aid Treatment PDF

3. BONE AND JOINT INJURIES AND FIRST AID TREATMENT  FRACTURE  DISLOCATION  SPRAIN  STRAIN 1  FRACTURE  Fracture is a full or partial break in the continuity of bone tissue.  Fracture is a bone injury...

3. BONE AND JOINT INJURIES AND FIRST AID TREATMENT  FRACTURE  DISLOCATION  SPRAIN  STRAIN 1  FRACTURE  Fracture is a full or partial break in the continuity of bone tissue.  Fracture is a bone injury 2  CAUSES OF FRACTURE  The general causes of fracture can be classified into three: Direct force, indirect force and muscular force  Direct Force: this causes a bone to break at the point of impact  Indirect Force: this fracture occurs far from the point of impact  Muscular Force: this fracture occurs due to sudden forceful contraction of the muscles attached to the bone 3  CAUSES OF FRACTURE Contd.  Fracture in relation to impact of force could further be classified as stable and unstable fracture  Stable fracture: this occurs when the broken ends of the fractured Stable fracture bone are joined together.  Unstable fracture: this occurs when the broken ends of the fractured bone are displaced or separated Unstable fracture 4  TYPES OF FRACTURE  Greenstick: this is a partial fracture where the bone bends and partially breaks like a green twig. It occurs most commonly in children, because their bones are softer and more flexible.  Simple: is a type of bone fracture where the broken bone does not pierce through the skin. The fracture does not lead to complications.  Comminuted: the bone is broken into several fragments or crushed  Impact: ends of bones pushed into one another  Complicated: This affect the internal organs – lungs, spinal cord or brain. 5  TYPES OF FRACTURE Greenstick Fracture 6  SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS  Pain  Swelling and tenderness  Discolouration  Loss of function  Shock 7  PRINCIPLES OF FIRST AID TO FRACTURE  Casualty kept still  Cover the point  Control bleeding  Improvise stretcher  Immobilize the affected part – splinting  Body splinting – other part of the body  Mechanical splinting - material 8  FRACTURE OF THE SKULL AND FIRST AID TREATMENT  Concussion – brain is ‘shaken’ and there could be: Headache, shock, confused mental state, etc  Compression – fragment of bone into the brain and there could be: intense headache, low pulse, drowsiness, paralysis,  Treatment : Head and shoulder raised Control bleeding Treat for shock Resuscitate if unconscious 9  FRACTURE OF THE RIBS  Easy complication – penetrating wound  There could be sharp pain, short or shallow breathing, coughing up of blood or damage of the lungs  Treatment: support the back, any wound to the chest wall should be covered support limb on the affected side place casualty in a recovery position if unconscious. 10  FRACTURE OF THE SPINE  A serious injury to the back – vertebral column  Cervical and lumber bones – spinal cord  There could be tenderness or pain, irregular curve of spine. difficult breathing, abnormal sensation of loss of control of limb  Treatment: the body is kept still, back not bent, protect the airway, resuscitate if necessary, move the casualty carefully. 11  FRACTURE OF THE ARM  Humerus, radius and ulna – shaft or neck  There could be pain or tenderness, swelling, discolouration or abnormal shape  Treatment: injured arm carefully placed while seated support arm in a sling use broad fold bandage 12  FRACTURE OF THE LEG  Femur, tibia and fibula – shaft or neck  There could be pain, shortening of the leg or difficulty in walking  Treatment: steady and support the injured leg apply clean dressing if necessary apply splint – body or mechanical 13  DISLOCATION  Occurs at joint – displacement  Ligaments or tissues torn or damaged – joints at the arm and leg  There could be pain, tenderness, swelling, discolouration or deformity  Treatment: casualty sits or lies down, apply triangular bandage or splint, treat as fracture, hospital. 14  SPRAIN AND STRAIN  Similar in signs and symptoms and treatment  Sprain – joint, strain – muscle, violent or sudden movement  There could be pain, tenderness, swelling, bruising and movement problem  Treatment: support the part, apply ice or cold compress, compress with pad, raise the part, take X-ray if neccesary. 15 Dislocation Sprain 16