How to Splint a Fractured Rib in the Wilderness

Splinting a fractured rib not only reduces pain, but also helps minimize the risk of puncturing a lung.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Assess for fracture (see "How to Assess for Fracture").

2. Immobilize the injury: Any movement is not only very painful but can worsen the injury.

3. Tape the broken rib: Run a strip of athletic tape along the rib from the midline of the chest to just past the spine in back.

4. Run four more strips of tape parallel and adjacent to the first one: two on each side of the first strip.

5. Put the arm on the side of the fracture into a sling and swathe (see "How to Make a Sling for an Injured Arm").

6. Continue with further treatment for the fracture (see related eHows on treating fractures).

Tips & Warnings

• Contact the Wilderness Medicine Institute or the National Outdoor Leadership School for information on wilderness medicine courses and books.
• Take extra care to immobilize a person with a fractured rib, since the rib can puncture a lung.
• To make sure the lungs stay clear, encourage the injured person to take deep breaths, even if it hurts.
• Monitor closely for difficulty of breathing: labored breathing may indicate a punctured lung or other internal injury.
• This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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