Improvised Slings and Newspaper Splints

A partner workshop on splinting arm and leg injuries with whatever is at hand: triangular bandanas, rolled-up newspapers, and elastic wraps. Students learn to suspect a fracture, keep the area still, and immobilize the joints above and below.

How to play

1. Intro (3 min): fracture signs (severe pain, deformity, can't move it) and the rule of immobilizing the joint above and the joint below.
2. In pairs. Station 1 (5 min): arm sling with a triangular bandana, elbow at 90 degrees, knot to one side of the neck.
3. Station 2 (5 min): forearm splint from a newspaper folded into a trough and two turns of wrap, fingers left visible.
4. Station 3 (5 min): leg splint with two rolled newspapers along the sides and three bandanas; after each station switch roles while the next pair checks with the card.
5. Wrap-up (4 min): the teacher reads a scenario and each pair applies the right splint in under 2 minutes.

Rules

• Safety: no knot presses on the skin or neck; if the fingers tingle, loosen it.
• The injured student keeps the injured area still.
• Ask permission and explain each move.
• Fold the supplies back into their box.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: play the injured student at the arm stations or serve as checker.
• Visual impairment: hand-over-hand guidance for knots and supplies with different textures.
• Limited fine motor skills: simple knots and extra time per station.

Learning goals

• Identify the signs of a possible fracture.
• Splint an arm and a leg with improvised materials.
• Check circulation after splinting.

Equipment for a class of 25

• triangular bandanas: 39
• newspapers: 39
• elastic wraps: 13
• checklist cards: 13

Teacher tip

Cut triangular bandanas from old sheets and bring the newspapers pre-folded. Keep reminding students to check finger color; it's the step most often forgotten.

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