Triangular Bandage for broken arm 1st Aid

Triangular bandage: The correct steps for 1st aid of a broken arm or broken collar bone.

During an emergency or dissaster situation, a broken arm or collar bone can be completely disabilitating. Once, the author had to secure a broken wrist in the Narrows of southern Utah literally miles & miles from the nearest hospital in a wilderness area. We had only one way to go & that was through the canyon. 1st aid was unavailable except for the use of a bandana for a triangular bandage to secure the arm.

The follow is how you properly secure a broken arm or collar bone.

1. First you must secure the arm with a splint. You can use any rigid, flat object such as cardboard or better, use our deposable splints.
2. To fully pad the area, try to use a shirt or other cloth to help immobilize the broken arm.& help maintain the broken arm in a somewhat functional position.
3. Use at least two triangular bandages.
4. Orient one of the bandages so that the point opposite the long side of the triangle is pointing toward the same side of the injured person as the injured arm is on.
5. Keeping the elbow flexed at 90 degrees, position the arm so that the forearm is at a 30-degree angle to the ground, with the hand higher than the elbow.
6. Cradle the arm into the triangular bandage.
7. Pull the half of the bandage that is furthest from the injured person up and over the same side of the neck as the injury.
8. Pull the half of the bandage that is closer to the injured person up and over the opposite side of the neck from the injury.
9. Tie the two ends of the bandage together behind the neck.
10. Swathe the arm by first folding the other triangular bandage over several times: Start by folding the point opposite the long side so that it touches the long side.
Repeat folding in this direction until you have a long piece of cloth 3-4 inches wide.
Pull the bandage around the person: under the armpit opposite the injured arm on one side, over the injured arm on the other side. The bandage should be parallel to the ground.
Tie the ends of the bandage together.

IMPORTANT:
Monitor the fingers of the injured arm regularly for circulation, sensation and motion.


The above is courtesy of & based on http://www.ehow.com/how_7862_make-sling-injured.html