{"id":6016,"date":"2024-06-10T07:00:40","date_gmt":"2024-06-10T06:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/immediate-first-aid-for-sprains-fractures-and-dislocations\/"},"modified":"2026-09-19T15:09:37","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T14:09:37","slug":"immediate-first-aid-for-sprains-fractures-and-dislocations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/immediate-first-aid-for-sprains-fractures-and-dislocations\/","title":{"rendered":"Immediate first aid for sprains, fractures and dislocations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every year, many people in French-speaking Switzerland suffer sprains, fractures or dislocations during everyday or sporting activities. Knowing how to respond to these injuries can not only limit the damage but also speed up the healing process. This article guides you through the essential first-aid measures for effectively managing these common situations, in accordance with the latest medical recommendations.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Understanding musculoskeletal injuries<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sprains, fractures and dislocations are injuries that affect the muscles, bones and joints. A <strong>sprain<\/strong> occurs when a ligament is stretched or torn, usually as a result of twisting or a direct impact. A <strong>fracture<\/strong> is a partial or complete break in a bone. A <strong>dislocation<\/strong> occurs when a bone is displaced from its joint. Each type of injury requires a specific first-aid approach.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>First-aid techniques for sprains<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A sprain is an injury to the ligaments of a joint caused by a sudden movement or excessive twisting. To limit damage and promote a speedy recovery, the <strong>RICE<\/strong> method is the standard approach:<\/p>\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Rest<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Immobilise the affected joint and avoid putting any strain on it for <strong>24 to 48 hours<\/strong>. Crutches or a brace may be necessary depending on the severity of the injury.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ice<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Apply <strong>ice wrapped in a cloth<\/strong> for <strong>15 to 20 minutes<\/strong> every 2 hours to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Avoid direct contact between the ice and the skin to prevent ice burns.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Compression<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Wrap the injured area with an <strong>elastic compression bandage<\/strong> without making it too tight, in order to limit swelling while maintaining good blood circulation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Elevation<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Raise the injured limb <strong>above heart level<\/strong> to promote lymphatic drainage and reduce swelling. Use cushions to keep it in position.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the pain is severe, there is visible deformity or the swelling does not subside, seek medical attention promptly.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Managing fractures: immediate steps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the event of a fracture, it is crucial to immobilise the area before help arrives. Do not attempt to realign the bone. Cover any protruding ends with a sterile dressing if necessary. If the fracture is open, apply gentle pressure around the wound to control the bleeding.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Managing a dislocation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dislocations require immediate medical attention to prevent permanent damage. Avoid manipulating or attempting to relocate the joint. Immobilise the area and apply ice to reduce pain and swelling until medical help is available.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Emergency training and preparedness<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although this article provides an overview of immediate interventions, taking an in-depth training course, such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/catalogue-of-services\/ias-2-first-aid-in-critical-situations\/\" title=\"IAS 2\">IAS 2 programme<\/a> (not included in <a href=\"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/certified-first-aid-training\/ias-1-training-certification-in-emergency-management-and-workplace-safety\/\" title=\"IAS 1\">IAS 1<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/certified-first-aid-training\/complete-bls-aed-src-training\/\" title=\"BLS-AED-SRC Complete\">BLS-AED-SRC<\/a>), is essential for learning how to manage these situations correctly. The practical knowledge acquired can make all the difference in an emergency.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To develop these skills further, discover our specialised training courses:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/bls-aed-src-first-aid-training-in-geneva\/\">BLS-AED-SRC in Geneva<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/bls-aed-src-in-lausanne-vaud-first-aid-training\/\">Complete BLS-AED-SRC course in Lausanne<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/bls-aed-src-in-fribourg-and-bulle-first-aid-training\/\">BLS-AED-SRC course in Fribourg<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every year, many people in French-speaking Switzerland suffer sprains, fractures or dislocations during everyday or sporting activities. Knowing how to respond to these injuries can not only limit the damage but also speed up the healing process. This article guides you through the essential first-aid measures for effectively managing these<span class=\"excerpt-hellip\"> [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":5684,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[311],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-6016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-first-aid-techniques"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6016","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6016"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6016\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8742,"href":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6016\/revisions\/8742"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6016"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6016"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6016"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safetyfirst.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=6016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}