Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

8 Muscle, Bone and Joint Injuries

Helmets are meant to protect the head from direct blows and skull fractures. Enough force can still be transmitted to the brain to cause a concussion or compression injury. Do not remove a helmet from a patient with a suspected neck injury unless it interferes with life saving first aid. If you need to remove a helmet to ensure the airway and breathing, steady and support the neck and head neutral and in-line. As you stabilize the head and neck, get a second rescuer to slowly and carefully remove the helmet.

While providing first aid for a head injury, the first aider must protect both the head and spine from further injury. An open airway and adequate breathing remain the focus of all first aid. Therefore, use of the head tilt, chin lift maneuver to manage an airway in a head or spinal injury is paramount. Maintaining a airway

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Maintaining C-Spine with helmet on

Skull fracture A skull fracture can be the result of direct force or it can be indirectly transmitted by other bones. Fractures can occur on the top part of the skull, or cranium, the base of the skull, or the bones of the face. Facial fractures include the bones around the eyes, the nose, the teeth, and the upper and lower jaw.

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