1. Stay calm—improper first aid can cause serious harm. For cervical spine fractures, improper handling may damage the spinal cord, leading to high-level paralysis or even respiratory failure and life-threatening situations; for thoracic or lumbar spine fractures, improper lifting can also injure the spinal nerves, resulting in lower limb paralysis.
2. Have the patient lie flat and elevate the injured area above heart level. Do not move the patient blindly, and never pull or massage the injured part.
3. Examine the injured area and cool it down. If there is river water nearby, use it to cool the area. In the mountains, use leftover snow to cool the area until the injured part becomes numb.
4. Use available materials such as tree branches, wooden boards, or sticks to immobilize the injured area.
5. If no materials for immobilization are available, suspend and secure an injured upper limb with a handkerchief or cloth strip against the chest. For an injured lower limb, bind it together with the uninjured one.
Foot fractures, forearm fractures, and upper arm fractures
6. For open fractures (where the skin or mucous membrane is broken and the bone is exposed), keep the wound clean to prevent infection.
7. After emergency treatment, immediately send the patient to the hospital. Ensure proper handling during transport to avoid impacting the injured area.
8. When dealing with a patient who may have a spinal injury, first help them straighten both legs and place their arms straight at their sides. Use a wooden board or door panel to transport them—never use a soft stretcher. Place the board beside the patient, have two or three people support the patient’s body as one unit, and roll them onto the board. Be careful not to twist the torso. Alternatively, three people can lift the patient horizontally onto the board. Never carry the patient with one person hugging them or one lifting the shoulders while two lift the legs, as this can bend the spine and worsen vertebral and spinal cord injuries. If the patient has a cervical spine injury, have someone support their head and apply slight upward traction along the vertical axis to keep the head aligned with the body. When transferring the patient onto the board, place sandbags or folded clothing on either side of the neck to keep it stabilized.
Proper handling is as follows:
