HOW TO FIX BROKEN BONES

Misc
Guides

BROKEN BONES (FRACTURES)
When a bone is broken, the most important thing to do is keep the bone in a fixed position. This prevents further damage and lets it mend.
Before trying to move or carry a person with a broken bone, keep the bones from moving with splints, strips of bark, or a sleeve of cardboard. Later a plaster cast can be put on the limb at a health center, or perhaps you can make a ‘cast’ according to local tradition (see p. 14).
Setting broken bones: If the bones seem more or less in the right position, it is better not to move them—this could do more harm than good.
If the bones are far out of position and the break is recent, you can try to ‘set’ or straighten them before putting on cast. The sooner the bones are set, the easier it will be. Before setting, if possible inject or give diazepam to relax the muscles and calm pain (see p. 389). Or give codeine (p. 383).
HOW TO SET A BROKEN WRIST
Pull the hand with a slow, steady force for 5 to 10 minutes, increasing the force, to separate the bones.
With one person still pulling the hand, have another gently line up and straighten the bones.
WARNING: It is possible to do a lot of damage while trying to set a bone. Ideally, it should be done with the help of someone with experience. Do not jerk or force.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR BROKEN BONES TO HEAL?
The worse the break or the older the person, the longer healing takes. Children’s bones mend rapidly. Those of old people sometimes never join. A broken arm should be kept in a cast for about a month, and no force put on it for another month. A broken leg should remain in a cast for about 2 months.

BROKEN THIGH OR HIP BONE

A broken upper leg or hip often needs special attention. It is best to splint the
whole body like this:
and to take the injured person to a health center at once.
BROKEN NECKS AND BACKS
If there is any chance a person’s back or neck has been broken, be very careful when moving him. Try not to change his position. If possible, bring a health worker before moving him. If you must move him, do so without bending his back or neck. For instructions on how to move the injured person, see the next page.
BROKEN RIBS
These are very painful, but almost always heal on their own. It is better not to splint or bind the chest. The best treatment is to take aspirin or acetaminophen (avoid giving aspirin to children)—and rest. To keep the lungs healthy, take 4 to 5 deep breaths in a row, every 2 hours. Do this daily until you can breathe normally. At first, this will be very painful. It may take months before the pain is gone completely.
A broken rib does not often puncture a lung. But if a rib breaks through the skin, or if the person coughs blood or develops breathing difficulties (other than pain), use antibiotics and seek medical help.
BROKEN BONES THAT BREAK THROUGH THE SKIN (OPEN FRACTURES)
Since the danger of infection is very great in these cases, it is always better to get help from a health worker or doctor in
caring for the injury. Wear gloves or
plastic bags on your hands and clean
the wound and the exposed bone very
gently but thoroughly with cool, boiled
water. Cover with a clean cloth. Never put the
bone back into the wound until the wound and the bone are absolutely clean.
Splint the limb to prevent more injury.
If the bone has broken the skin, use an antibiotic immediately to help prevent infection: dicloxacillin (p. 350), clindamycin (p. 358), or ciprofloxacin (p. 358).