Arm Injury

When To Call

Call 911 Now

• Serious injury with many broken bones
• Major bleeding that can't be stopped
• Bone is sticking through the skin
• You think your child has a life-threatening emergency

Go to ER Now

• Can't move the shoulder, elbow or wrist at all
• Looks like a broken bone (crooked or deformed)
• Looks like a dislocated joint
• Large deep cut that will need many stitches

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

• Can't move the shoulder, elbow or wrist normally
• Collarbone is painful and can't raise arm over head
• Can't open and close the hand normally
• Skin is split open or gaping and may need stitches
• Cut over knuckle of hand
• Age less than 1 year old
• Cut or scrape and no past tetanus shots. Note: tetanus is the "T" in DTaP, TdaP, or Td vaccines.
• Severe pain and not better 2 hours after taking pain medicine
• You think your child has a serious injury
• You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

• Very large bruise or swelling
• Pain not better after 3 days
• Dirty cut or hard to clean and no tetanus shot in more than 5 years
• Clean cut and no tetanus shot in more than 10 years
• You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

• Injury limits sports or school work
• Pain lasts more than 2 weeks
• You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

• Bruised muscle or bone from direct blow
• Pain in muscle from minor pulled muscle
• Pain around joint from minor stretched ligament
• Minor cut or scrape

Care Advice

What You Should Know About Minor Arm Injuries:

• During sports, muscles and bones get bruised.
• Muscles get stretched.
• Here is some care advice that should help.

Pain Medicine:

• To help with the pain, give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
• Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil). Ibuprofen works well for this type of pain.
• Use as needed.

Small Cut or Scrape Treatment:

• Use direct pressure to stop any bleeding. Do this for 10 minutes or until bleeding stops.
• Wash the wound with soap and water for 5 minutes. Try to rinse the cut under running water.
• Gently scrub out any dirt with a washcloth.
• Use an antibiotic ointment (such as Polysporin). No prescription is needed. Then, cover it with a bandage. Change daily.

Cold Pack for Pain:

• For pain or swelling, use a cold pack. You can also use ice wrapped in a wet cloth.
• Put it on the sore muscles for 20 minutes.
• Repeat 4 times on the first day, then as needed.
• Reason: helps the pain and helps stop any bleeding.
• Caution: avoid frostbite.

Use Heat After 48 Hours:

• If pain lasts over 2 days, put heat on the sore muscle.
• Use a heat pack, heating pad or warm wet washcloth.
• Do this for 10 minutes, then as needed.
• Reason: increase blood flow and improve healing.
• Caution: avoid burns.

Rest the Arm:

• Rest the injured arm as much as possible for 48 hours.

What to Expect:

• Pain and swelling most often peak on day 2 or 3.
• Swelling should be gone by 7 days.
• Pain may take 2 weeks to fully go away.

Call Your Doctor If:

• Pain becomes severe
• Pain is not better after 3 days
• Pain lasts more than 2 weeks
• You think your child needs to be seen
• Your child becomes worse

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Photos

FIRST AID Advice - Arm Injury - How to Put on a Sling

To put on a sling you first need to have a triangle-shaped bandage. Many first aid kits have a triangle bandage.

• Find the two ends of the triangle that are farthest apart. These are the ends that you will tie around the neck.
• Lay the arm down the middle of the triangle.
• Take the two ends of the triangle that are farthest apart and tie them behind the neck (a square knot is best, but any knot will do).
• Make sure the wrist is at a level higher than the heart.

Source: Self Care Decisions, LLC
Used with Permission from Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC.

FIRST AID Advice - Bleeding Wound of the Arm

• Apply direct pressure to the entire wound with a sterile gauze dressing or a clean cloth. Once the bleeding has stopped, cover with an adhesive bandage or gauze.

Source: Self Care Decisions, LLC
Used with Permission from Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC.

FIRST AID Advice - Splint for Wrist Fracture or Dislocation

• Keep the hand and wrist from moving by placing them on a rigid splint (see drawing).
• Tie several cloth strips around hand/wrist to keep the splint in place. You can use a roll of gauze or tape instead of cloth strips.

Notes:

• You can make a splint from: a wooden board, magazine folded in half, folded-up newspaper, cardboard, or a pillow.
• If you have no splinting materials, then support the injured arm by resting it on a pillow or folded up blanket.
• After putting on the splint, apply a cold pack or an ice pack (wrapped in a towel) to the area.

Source: Self Care Decisions, LLC
Used with Permission from Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC.