Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

8 Muscle, Bone and Joint Injuries

First aid for a rib or breastbone injury focuses on preventing further injury, reducing pain and making breathing easier. Carefully assess the mechanism of injury and the force involved for possible spinal injury.

Rib(s) Anatomy

Signs and Symptoms Rib and Breastbone injury

• Deformity • Open wound • Tenderness or pain at the injury site or when breathing deeply or during moving • Shallow breathing and guarding to limit pain • Swelling or bruising Signs of Complication • Coughing up frothy (bubbly) blood – indicates lung injury (See Chapter 3, Airway and Breathing) • Signs and symptoms of Internal bleeding • Shock

312

www.preohs.com