Impact! What to Do When a Limb Is Struck by Objects or Falls
Sunday, December 15th, 2019, 5:36 pmThere are many different situations in which something might fall on your arm, hand, foot, or leg. There are many more instances in which you might injure these limbs because of a fall. It is important that you know what to do in these situations so that you don’t injure yourself further. Here are some tips.
Avoid Weight
If you have injured a limb, you should avoid lifting or putting weight on it until you are certain that you have not caused a serious injury, such as a break. If you injure your foot, ankle, or leg, you should avoid putting weight on it. If you injure an arm, elbow, wrist, or hand, you should not lift anything heavier than a cup while you are recovering.
RICE
Any time you injure a limb, it is best to follow RICE—rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Rest will allow the injury to heal, ice will reduce swelling and inflammation, compression will help with healing and pain, and elevation will also help with pain.
Seeking Help
If your limb is not feeling any better within a day or if the pain becomes severe, you should get it checked out by a doctor to ensure that you did not cause a break or sprain. You should go to urgent care as soon as you injure yourself if there is bleeding that won’t stop, if you have a protruding bone, or if you are unable to put weight on the limb after a few hours of RICE.
If you or a loved one have such an injury, don’t hesitate to get the medical treatment you need. Contact us today for more information about our urgent care center or to schedule an appointment.
Category: Injuries