First Aid Ottawa is pleased to offer workplace approved CPR AED training courses and recertifications. One topic we cover is the proper procedure for joint, muscle and bone injuries. If one experiences such an injury, the first step is to rest the injured body part by avoiding movements/activities that cause pain. If you believe that the person has suffered head or spinal injury then leave them at the position you found them in. If the injury involves the person’s head, neck or back then you need to call EMS. If they report that walking is difficult, if there is more than one injury, injury to thigh bone or pelvis or altered level of consciousness then you need to call EMS. If they only suffered a mild bone, muscle or joint injury they need to seek medical attention from a professional physician. They may be in a lot of pain so you must comfort them and prevent further injury until they receive proper medical attention. If you can spot an open fracture then you must stop it from bleeding and give constant reassurance to the person and help them into a comfortable position. Immobilize the part in the position you found it. If you are splinting an injury, immobilize the joints or bones above and below the injury then apply ice or a cold pack to the injured area but do not rub. They help reduce swelling, ease pain and discomfort. You will need to apply ice/cold pack for 20 minutes each hour for the first 24-48 hours. You will need to put a thin cloth or pad between the cold source and the bare skin. Elevate the injured area above the level of the heart but do not raise if it causes pain. When applying a sling, the corner could be twisted or folded/pinned (pin is recommended as it is stronger) but do not poke the person with the pin. For proper procedure that are more detailed than discussed here, please enroll in one of our workplace approved CPR AED training courses recertifications provided by First Aid Ottawa.
First Aid Procedure for Joint, Muscle and Bone Injuries
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