Quick answer
After a fall, keep the injured arm or leg still and do not walk on a leg that will not take weight. Seek orthopedic care the same day if the limb looks bent, swelling is severe, the bone may be open to the skin, or you cannot use the arm or leg. Do not try to pull a joint straight.
First steps at the scene
- Do not move a person who has neck or back pain after a high fall. Call for emergency help.
- Support the injured limb in the position you find it.
- Cover an open wound with a clean cloth. Do not push bone back under the skin.
- Remove rings from an injured hand before swelling starts.
- Avoid food and drink if surgery the same day is possible.
Falls that are easy to underestimate
A wrist that hurts after a slip, a hip that hurts in an older adult, and a child’s forearm after a playground fall can all be fractures even when the limb is not obviously bent. Older adults with hip or groin pain after a fall should not be left to “walk it off.” Children need a pediatric-aware orthopedic review because growing bones heal differently from adult bones.
Care in Secunderabad
Dr. Divya Bandari provides fracture and trauma care from the clinic at Namalagundu. The assessment includes the mechanism of the fall, circulation and nerve function in the limb, and X-rays when a break is possible. Clinic hours are Monday to Friday, 7:00–9:00. Outside those hours, go to an emergency department for a deformed, open, or numb limb, then follow up at the clinic.
Questions patients ask
Do I need an X-ray after every fall?
Not every bruise needs an X-ray. You do need imaging if you cannot use the limb, the pain is focal on the bone, or the shape of the limb has changed.
Can a fracture wait until the next clinic morning?
A limb that looks deformed, an open wound over the bone, numbness, or pain that stops you moving the limb should be seen the same day, including at an emergency department if the clinic is closed.
How are fractures treated?
Some fractures are treated in a cast or splint. Others need alignment or surgery so the bone can heal in a useful position. The plan depends on the bone, the break, and your general health.
This article is general information for patients in Hyderabad and Secunderabad. It is not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. An in-person examination is needed before any procedure or medicine is advised.