Arm Injuries

Overview

Minor arm injuries are common. Symptoms often are caused by everyday wear and tear, overuse, or an injury. Arm injuries are often caused by:

• Sports or hobbies.
• Work-related tasks.
• Work or projects around the home.

Your child may injure an arm during sports or play or from accidental falls. The chance of having an injury is higher in contact sports, such as wrestling, football, or soccer. It's also higher in high-speed sports, such as biking, in-line skating, skiing, snowboarding, and skateboarding. Forearms, wrists, hands, and fingers are injured most often. An injury to the end of a long bone near a joint may harm the growth plate. It needs to be checked by a doctor.

Older adults have a greater chance for injuries and broken bones. That's because they lose muscle mass and bone strength (osteoporosis) as they age. Older adults also have more problems with vision and balance. This makes them more likely to have an accidental injury.

Most minor injuries will heal on their own, and home treatment is usually all that's needed.

Acute injuries

Acute injuries come on suddenly. They may be caused by a direct blow, a penetrating injury, or a fall. Or they may occur when you twist, jerk, jam, or bend a limb abnormally. Pain may be sudden and severe. Bruising and swelling may start soon after the injury. Acute injuries usually need prompt medical care. They include:

• Bruises (contusions). They occur when small blood vessels under the skin tear or rupture, often from a twist, bump, or fall. Blood leaks into tissues under the skin. It causes a black-and-blue color that often turns purple, red, yellow, and green as the bruise heals.
• Injuries to the tough, ropy fibers (ligaments) that connect bone to bone and help stabilize joints (sprains).
• Injuries to the tough, ropy fibers that connect muscle to bone (tendons).
• Pulled muscles (strains).
• Muscle ruptures, such as a biceps or triceps rupture.
• Broken bones (fractures). A break may occur when a bone is twisted, struck directly, or used to brace against a fall.
• Pulling or pushing bones out of their normal position among the other bones that make up a joint (dislocations).

Overuse injuries

Overuse injuries occur when stress is placed on a joint or other tissue. This often happens when you overdo or repeat an activity. Overuse injuries include:

• Pain and swelling of the sac of fluid that cushions and lubricates the joint area between one bone and another bone, a tendon, or the skin. This is called bursitis.
• Pain and swelling of the tough, ropy fibers that connect muscles to bones (tendinitis).
• Pain and swelling from tiny tears (microtears) in the connective tissue in or around the tendon (tendinosis). Other symptoms of this type of tendon injury include loss of strength or movement in the arm.
• Hairline cracks in bones of the arm (stress fractures).
• Pressure on nerves in the arm, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Treatment

Treatment for an arm injury may include first aid (such as using a brace, splint, or cast), "setting" a broken bone or returning a dislocated joint to its normal position, physical therapy, and medicines. In some cases, surgery is needed. Treatment depends on:

• The location and type of injury, and how bad it is.
• When the injury occurred.
• Your age, health condition, and activities (such as work, sports, or hobbies).

Self-Care

First aid for a possible broken bone

Most minor arm injuries will heal on their own, and home treatment is usually all that's needed. But if you think that you might have a more severe injury, use first aid until you can be seen by a doctor.

• Control bleeding with direct pressure to the wound.
• Remove all bracelets and rings. It may be hard to remove the jewelry if your arm or hand swells. Swelling without removal of jewelry can cause other serious problems, such as a compressed nerve or restricted blood flow.
• Don't try to straighten the injured arm. If a bone is sticking out of the skin, don't try to push it back into the skin. Cover the area with a clean bandage. Then use a splint to support the arm in its current position.
• Splint an injured arm to protect it from more injury. Loosen the wrap around the splint if you have numbness, tingling, increased pain, swelling, cool skin, or other symptoms. The wrap may be too tight.
• Use a sling to support the injured arm.

Minor arm injury

Try the following tips to help relieve arm pain, swelling, and stiffness.

• Remove jewelry.

  Remove rings, bracelets, watches, and any other jewelry from your hand and arm. It will be hard to remove the jewelry after swelling starts.

• Rest.

  It's important to rest and protect an injured or sore area. Stop, change, or take a break from any activity that may be causing your pain or soreness.

• Use ice.

  Put ice or a cold pack on your arm for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the next 3 days (when you are awake).

• Wrap the injured or sore area.

  Compression, or wrapping the area with an elastic bandage (such as an Ace wrap), will help reduce swelling.

  • Don't wrap it too tightly, because that can cause more swelling below the injured or sore area. Loosen the bandage if it gets too tight. Signs that the bandage is too tight include numbness, tingling, increased pain, coolness, and swelling in the area below the bandage.
• Elevate the injured or sore area.

  Try to keep the area at or above the level of your heart to help reduce swelling. Prop up the area on pillows while you apply ice and anytime you sit or lie down.

• Wear a sling.

  For the first 48 hours after the injury, wear a sling if it makes you more comfortable and supports the injured or sore area.

• Avoid things that might increase swelling.

  For the first 48 hours after an injury, avoid things that might increase swelling. These things include hot showers, hot tubs, hot packs, and drinks that contain alcohol.

• Apply heat.

  After 48 to 72 hours, if swelling is gone, apply heat. You can start gentle exercise with the aid of moist heat to help restore and keep flexibility. Some experts advise switching between heat and cold treatments.

• Rub the area.

  Gently massage or rub the area to relieve pain and encourage blood flow. Don't massage the injured area if it causes pain.

• Don't smoke or use other tobacco products.

  Smoking slows healing because it decreases blood supply and delays tissue repair.

If you need to use a wrap or sling for more than 48 hours, you may have a more serious injury that needs to be checked by a doctor.

When to call for help during self-care

Call a doctor if any of the following occur during self-care at home:

• New or worse pain or swelling.
• New signs of infection, such as redness, warmth, pus, or a fever.
• New or worse numbness, tingling, or cool and pale skin.
• Movement or strength decreases.
• Symptoms occur more often or are more severe.

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