Wilderness: Splinting (cont.)

Medical Author:

James Kimo Takayesu, MD

Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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Upper Extremity Splinting: Arm, Shoulder, Elbow, Wrist, Finger

Using bandages to create a sling works for immobilizing collarbone, shoulder, and upper arm injuries extending down to the elbow. The arm sling is wrapped to the person's body with a large bandage encircling the person's chest.
Injury to the forearm and wrist requires a straight supportive splint that secures and aligns both sides of the injury. An open hardback book is a quick and handy, temporary immobilizer.
An injured finger can be buddy-taped to the adjacent, unaffected fingers, or it can be splinted with small pieces of wood or cardboard until more sturdy splints can be applied.