1. Home
  2. Health
  3. First Aid

Splinting a Broken Arm
Assess the Arm Before Splinting

From Rod Brouhard, About.com

Updated August 07, 2006

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Determine the location of the broken bone and assess the arm to make sure victim can still move fingers, feel touch, and has circulation to his or her hand.
Assessing a broken arm

Assess the broken arm before splinting.

Rod Brouhard
Assess the broken arm by feeling the area of the broken bone. Deformity, crepitus (a grinding feeling under the skin), or discoloration may be present in the area of the fracture. In most cases, the victim will just feel pain and tenderness near the injury.

Asses the victim's circulation, sensation, and motion in the hand.

  • Ask the victim to identify which finger is being touched.
  • Ask the victim to move fingers.
  • Feel the victim's fingers to see if they are as warm as the hand on the unbroken arm.
We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. First Aid
  4. Basic First Aid
  5. Breaks & Sprains
  6. Splinting a Broken Arm - Assessing the Broken Arm>

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.