Paddlers' Guide to Treating Medical Emergencies by Brighton Patrick;

Author:Brighton, Patrick;
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 1212659
Publisher: Menasha Ridge Press
Published: 2005-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Practice putting the splint on yourself so that you are not fumbling around trying to figure it out while your poor buddy is screaming in pain. Think about what you have at your disposal for a splint. Wrapping a sleeping pad (Ensolite or an inflatable) very tightly around the extremity while someone holds the extremity in distraction works very well. In other words, pull on the injured person’s hand or foot until the pulse returns, then place straight sticks, spare paddles, or hiking poles on either side of the sleeping pad, and wrap the whole thing in duct tape. Do not wrap the duct tape (or straps, or whatever) too tightly! You don’t want to place a great splint only to constrict the vessels with your wrap. Check the pulses in the affected foot or hand after you place the splint.

If splinting items are not available, then substitute what you have, but be sure you pad the extremity well. Keep in mind that you must immobilize the extremity one joint above and one below the fracture site. Otherwise the broken bones will move against each other. For example, with a broken lower leg, you must immobilize the knee and the ankle. This will result in a straight leg: the victim will have to use a buddy as a crutch to take all the weight off the injured leg, or be littered out.

If the bone is protruding or there is a large laceration over the fracture, place a clean gauze or handkerchief on the site and tape it in place before you place the splint. Do not dig around in the wound or worry too much about cleaning it. The emphasis here is splint, then transport the victim or await rescue.

There are several hundred bones in the body, so clearly we cannot cover the exact splinting mechanisms for all of them, but the concepts remain the same. Here are some special circumstances:

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