Transcript Fractures, Sprain and Strains

Fractures, Sprain and Strains
Lawrence L. Lambert
Off Shore Paramedic
Shell Oil Main Pass 252
What causes fractures, sprains
and strains?
• Falls
• Crushing injuries
• Extension and flexion out of normal range
of motion
• Twisting injuries involved as in tripping
What causes fractures, sprains
and strains?
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Auto Accidents
Animal Causes – Bites, trampling and falls
Sports Injuries
Sky diving accidents
Mechanism of Injury
Sir Isaac Newton’s First law of Physics –
"A body continues to maintain its state of rest
or of uniform motion unless acted upon by
an external unbalanced force."
This law is also called the law of inertia.
Kinetic Energy
• Energy of life can neither be made or
destroyed ----It only changes form and is
transferred.
• The kinetic energy of an object is the extra
energy which it possesses due to its motion.
Having gained this energy during its
acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic
energy unless its speed changes.
Skeletal System “Dem’Bones”
Bones are rigid organs that form the skeletal
system. They function to move, support, and
protect the various organs of the body, produce
blood cells both red and white. The also store
minerals. Because bones come in a variety of
shapes and have a complex internal and external
structure, they are lightweight, yet strong and
hard, in addition to fulfilling their many other
functions.
Ligaments
• In its most common use, a ligament is a
short band of tough fibrous dense regular
connective tissue composed mainly of long,
stringy collagen fibers. Ligaments connect
bones to other bones to form a joint.
Tendons
• A tendon is a band of tissue that
connects a muscle to a bone.
Types of MOI on the human
body that can cause fractures
• Falls
– Height
– Surface landed on
– Part of the body absorbing the most injury
• Motor Vehicle Accidents
– Speed
– Type – Head On, Vs. fixed object, Side or rear impact
Types of MOI on the human
body that can cause fractures
• Penetrating injuries
– Gunshot Wounds
– Stabbing Wounds
– Impaled Objects
• Non Penetrating Injuries
– Blunt force trauma
– Crushing injuries
Characteristics of These
Type of Injury
• Fractures – a break in the continuity of the bone.
– Open
– Closed
• Sprains – result from the stretching or tearing of
ligaments. Ligaments are tough bands of
fibrous tissue that connect one bone to
another. Common locations for sprains are
your ankles and knees.
Characteristics of These
Type of Injury
• Strains: A strain is a stretching or
tearing of muscle or tendon. People
commonly call strains "pulled" muscles.
Hamstring and back injuries are among
the most common strains
Characteristics of These
Type of Injury
• Sprains: A sprain (from the French
word espraindre - to wring) is an injury
which occurs to ligaments caused by
being over stretched beyond their
normal capacity and possibly torn.
Signs and Symptom's of
fractures, strains and sprains
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Pain at the site
Swelling
Discoloration (bruising)
Deformity (angulation, false joint)
Open wound consistent with the injury
First aid for Fractures, Sprains
and Strains
• As always in any emergency asses, treat and
maintain the A, B and C.
– Make sure the airway is open and patent. Open airway
and suction if necessary.
– Make sure the patient is breathing. If not breathing
give ventilatory/breathing support. Every 5 seconds for
an adult.
– Make sure you have a pulse check the distal pulse of
the area involved. You can check a pulse anywhere an
artery crosses a bone.
– Look for any external bleeding – apply pressure do not
elevate if fracture is involved.
First aid for Fractures, Sprains
and Strains
• Immobilize the fracture both above and below the
site of the injury. Splint using commercial
splinting equipment, padded boards and self
splinting.
• Ice to the area.
• Seek professional medical care as necessary. The
only way to rule out a fracture is with an X-ray of
the affected area.
Any Questions????
Thanks for your attention and
participation!!!!