Definition
- Injuries to the arm (shoulder to fingers)
- Injuries to a bone, muscle, joint or ligament
- Muscle pain caused by too much exercise (overuse) is covered in Arm Pain
First Aid for Bleeding:
- Put a gauze pad or clean cloth on top of the wound.
- Press down firmly on the place that is bleeding.
- This is called direct pressure. It is the best way to stop bleeding.
- Keep using pressure until the bleeding stops.
- If bleeding does not stop, press on a slightly different spot.
First Aid for Advice for Suspected Fracture or Dislocation of the Shoulder:
- Use a sling to support the arm. Make the sling with a triangular piece of cloth.
- Or, at the very least, the child can support the injured arm with the other hand or a pillow.
First Aid for Other Suspected Arm Fracture or Dislocation:
- Put the arm, hand, or wrist on a hard splint so it does not move. You can use a small board, magazine folded in half, or folded up newspaper.
- Tie a few cloth strips around arm or joint to keep the splint from moving.
- A second choice is to use a soft splint. Wrap the arm or joint in a soft splint so it does not move. You can use a pillow, a rolled-up blanket, or a towel. Use tape to keep this splint in place.
- Put your child’s injured arm in a sling. If you do not have a sling, have your child support the injured arm with his other hand.
Types of Arm Injuries
- Fractures are broken bones. A broken collarbone is the most common broken bone in children. It’s easy to notice because the collar bone is tender to touch. Also, the child cannot raise the arm upward.
- Dislocations happen when a bone is pulled out of a joint. A dislocated elbow is the most common type of this injury in kids. It’s caused by an adult quickly pulling or lifting a child by the arm. Mainly seen in 1 to 4 year olds. It’s also easy to spot. The child will hold his arm as if it were in a sling. He will keep the elbow bent and the palm of the hand down.
- Sprains – stretches and tears of ligaments
- Strains – stretches and tears of muscles (such as a pulled muscle)
- Muscle overuse from hard work or sports (such as a sore shoulder)
- Muscle bruise from a direct blow
- Bone bruise from a direct blow
Pain Scale
- Mild: Your child feels pain and tells you about it. But, the pain does not keep your child from any normal activities. School, play and sleep are not changed.
- Moderate: The pain keeps your child from doing some normal activities. It may wake him or her up from sleep.
- Severe: The pain is very bad. It keeps your child from doing all normal activities.
When to Call Us for Arm Injury
Call 911 Now If: Click to View
Call 911 Now (your child may need an ambulance) If:
- Serious injury with many broken bones
- Major bleeding that can’t be stopped (See FIRST AID)
- Bone is sticking through the skin
- You think your child has a life-threatening emergency
Call Us Now (night or day) If:
- You think your child has a serious injury
- Looks like a broken bone
- Looks like a dislocated joint
- Skin is split open or gaping and may need stitches
- Age under 1 year old
- Can’t move the shoulder, elbow or wrist normally
- Can’t open and close the hand normally
- Pain is SEVERE and not improved 2 hours after taking pain medicine
- You think your child needs to be seen urgently
Call Us Within 24 Hours If: Click to View
Call Us Within 24 Hours (between 9 am and 4 pm) If:
- You think your child needs to be seen, but not urgently
- Very large bruise or swelling
- Pain not better after 3 days
Call Us During Weekday Office Hours If:
- You have other questions or concerns
- Injury limits sports or school work
- No tetanus shot in over 5 years for DIRTY cuts
- No tetanus shot in over 10 years for CLEAN cuts
- Pain lasts over 2 weeks
Parent Care at Home If: Click to View
Parent Care at Home If:
- Bruised muscle or bone from direct blow
- Pain in muscle (from minor pulled muscle)
- Pain around joint (from minor stretched ligament)
Care Advice for Arm Injury
What you should know:
- During sports, muscles and bones get bruised.
- Muscles get stretched.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Pain Medicine:
- To help with the pain, give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen.
- Ibuprofen works well for this type of pain.
- Use as needed. See Dose Table.
Cold Pack:
- For pain or swelling, use a cold pack. You can also use ice wrapped in a wet cloth.
- Put it on the sore muscles for 20 minutes.
- Repeat 4 times on the first day, then as needed.
- Reason: Helps the pain and helps stop any bleeding.
- Caution: Avoid frostbite.
Heat Pack:
- If pain lasts over 2 days, put heat on the sore muscle.
- Use a heat pack, heating pad or warm wet washcloth.
- Do this for 10 minutes, then as needed.
- Caution: Avoid burns.
Rest:
- Rest the injured arm as much as possible for 48 hours.
What to Expect:
- Pain and swelling most often peak on day 2 or 3.
- Swelling should be gone by 7 days.
- Pain may take 2 weeks to fully go away.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Pain becomes severe
- Pain is not better after 3 days
- Pain lasts more than 2 weeks
- Your child becomes worse