When you break your arm, the first thought is quickly getting to a doctor to get it properly set where he can put a cast on. Unfortunately, emergency rooms aren't always nearby, so you'll need to know how to make a splint for a broken arm. It's important to keep your broken arm stable, so if you're alone, try to keep your broken arm from moving as much as possible during the process or get assistance from a friend if possible.
Step 1
Adjust your arm out into its natural, fully straightened position. Your body starts the healing process immediately, so doing this will help prevent the start of misaligned healing, which could lead to range of motion issues down the road--or possibly having to re-break and set it again once you're at the hospital. Having the arm in a natural position also helps alleviate pain.
Step 2
Find two sticks, using your good arm. They must be long enough to extend past the wrist and the elbow joint. These will be placed on either side of the arm to keep it stable until you are able to seek medical attention.
If no sticks are available, you'll have to improvise. Canes, umbrellas, or anything straight will work as long as you have something stable to use for both sides of the arm.
Step 3
Pad the arm. Use a shirt, blanket or any cloth you can obtain, and cut or rip into a 2-by-3 foot rectangle . Using single layers, wrap it around the arm two times. Padding for the arm is more for comfort than stability, so if you don't have much fabric, use it sparingly so you have some left for when you add the sticks to stabilize the arm.
Step 4
Place the sticks on the arm on top of the previous 2 layers of padding. Make sure they are on both sides of the arm, equal distances from each other. Position them to where they extend beyond the joint. With forearm fractures, sticks should extend past the wrist. With upper-arm fractures, the sticks should extend past the elbow.
Step 5
Wrap the cloth around the sticks at least 6 inches both above and below the break. The wrap should be snug but not too tight -- you should be able to fit 2 fingers under the wrapping with ease. Wrapping too tight can cause pain and cut off blood flow, but if you wrap it too loose, it won't be stable. Keep wrapping until you have 6 inches left on both ends and tie the ends into a secure knot.
Step 6
Make a sling. Slings are used to hold the arm in place, preventing the arm from moving around and causing further pain and injury. Use any type of cloth or belt for this. From the mid-point of the cloth, both ends should reach from mid-chest up to up around your neck. Make sure it's comfortable and strong enough to hold your arm in place
Step 7
Fold the cloth in half length-wise to find the center. Gently place your forearm in the middle of the sling. Resting it in the middle provides equal weight distribution on the sling and prevents stress points on the arm. This also keeps the arm from slipping out of one end or the other.
Step 8
Pull both sides of the sling up around your neck until the forearm is in a comfortable horizontal position. Your elbow should be at a 90-degree angle. If this causes pain lower the forearm slowly until you find a comfortable position.
Step 9
Tie the ends of sling behind the neck. Make sure the sling is tied securely. If it unexpectedly comes undone it can cause the arm to move quickly, which will cause pain and possible further injury.
