Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

8 Muscle, Bone and Joint Injuries

Muscles Although muscle is soft tissue, it is included here because it is so closely related to the skeleton. There are three types of muscle tissue found in the body: skeletal, smooth, and cardiac. Skeletal muscle attaches to bones and is the major muscle mass of the body. Skeletal muscle has arteries, veins, and nerves to supply it with oxygen and nutrients and to remove waste. It is known as voluntary muscle. All skeletal muscle is attached to bones by tendons.

The body’s form is provided by the musculoskeletal system: the bones and muscles of the body. This system also protects the internal organs. Bones and muscles are susceptible to external force that can cause injury. Also at risk are ligaments, tendons and joints. Musculoskeletal injuries are among the most commonly encountered in first aid. These injuries are usually easy to identify due to the associated swelling, deformity, and pain. These injuries rarely result in death, but they often cause short- or long-term disability. By applying prompt assessment and treatment, such as splinting, the first aider helps reduce the period of pain and disability. These injuries can appear dramatic, but never focus on a musculoskeletal injury without first making sure no life threatening injuries exist. Never forget the ABCs.

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