When Technology Fails: A Manual for Self-Reliance, Sustainability, and Surviving the Long Emergency by Matthew Stein

Author:Matthew Stein [Stein, Matthew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Non-Fiction, Survival, Environment, Reference
ISBN: 9781603580953
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Published: 2000-04-30T14:00:00+00:00

Figure 8-14. Arm sling.

• Fingers are easy to relocate. Simply grasp the fingertip and pull steadily outward until the joint pops back into place. After relocation, tape the injured finger to an adjacent finger for support.

• For shoulders, try to position the victim lying flat on her or his stomach with the arm hanging down over an edge. Either hang a weight of 10 to 15 pounds from the wrist for 10 minutes, or pull steadily downward on the victim’s wrist until the shoulder pops back into place. Separated shoulders are often confused with shoulder dislocations. Separated shoulders are usually caused by falls directly onto the shoulder, which tears some of the tissue connecting the collarbone to the shoulder. If you detect a “spongy” feel while gently probing the collarbone, the injury is probably a separation and should be treated by immobilization with a sling. After reduction, support the arm with a sling.

• Elbows are more difficult to treat, and you may not be able to get the elbow to relocate while you are in the backcountry. Check pulse and circulation in the fingers. Have the victim lie on his or her belly, draping the injured elbow over a padded ledge or edge so the elbow bends 90 degrees and the forearm hangs straight down. Grasp the wrist and pull downward while another rescuer pulls upward on the upper arm just above the elbow. Rocking the forearm back and forth gently may assist the process. Recheck pulse and circulation in the fingers. After relocating the elbow, splint as if it were fractured.

• Hips are tough, but if successfully relocated, will prevent further damage to the hip joint and sciatic nerve. Lay the victim on his or her back and, keeping the knee bent at a right angle, lift the leg until the thigh is pointing straight up. Have an assistant hold the victim’s hips down while you straddle the victim. Grasp just below the knee and pull firmly upward, slowly twisting the leg a little to the right and left until the hip pops back into place. It takes considerable force to counteract the strong thigh muscles. After reduction, splint the injured leg to the other leg.

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