Fracture first aid

In the old days we were always taught to bandage a fracture, preferably with a Robert-Jones, to stabilise it before considering repair.

However, many orthopaedic surgeons nowadays prefer fractures not to be bandaged at all prior to surgery as this can increase muscle tension at best, and immobilise and ‘set’ a displaced fracture at worst.

Instead, appropriate analgesia is paramount. The only cases where our clinic’s fabulous orthopaedic surgeon likes her fractures bandaged prior to surgery are when there are open wounds.