Arm Injuries

Overview

Minor arm injuries are common. Symptoms often develop from everyday wear and tear, overuse, or an injury. Arm injuries are often caused by:

Sports or hobbies.
Work-related tasks.
Work or projects around the home.

Your child may injure his or her arm during sports or play or from accidental falls. The chance of having an injury is higher in contact sports (such as wrestling, football, or soccer) and in high-speed sports (such as biking, in-line skating, skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and skateboarding). Forearms, wrists, hands, and fingers are injured most often. An injury to the end of a long bone near a joint may harm the growth plate and needs to be checked by a doctor.

Older adults have a greater chance for injuries and broken bones because they lose muscle mass and bone strength (osteoporosis) as they age. Older adults also have more problems with vision and balance, which increases their chances of having an accidental injury.

Most minor injuries will heal on their own, and home treatment is usually all that is needed to relieve symptoms and promote healing.

Acute injuries

Acute injuries come on suddenly and may be caused by a direct blow, a penetrating injury, or a fall or from twisting, jerking, jamming, or bending a limb abnormally. Pain may be sudden and severe. Bruising and swelling may develop soon after the injury. Acute injuries usually require prompt medical evaluation and may include:

Bruises (contusions), which occur when small blood vessels under the skin tear or rupture, often from a twist, bump, or fall. Blood leaks into tissues under the skin and causes a black-and-blue colour that often turns purple, red, yellow, and green as the bruise heals.
Injuries to the tough, ropey fibres (ligaments) that connect bone to bone and help stabilize joints (sprains).
Injuries to the tough, ropey fibres that connect muscle to bone (tendons).
Pulled muscles (strains).
Muscle ruptures, such as a biceps or triceps rupture.
Broken bones (fractures). A break may occur when a bone is twisted, struck directly, or used to brace against a fall.
Pulling or pushing bones out of their normal relationship to the other bones that make up a joint (dislocations).

Overuse injuries

Overuse injuries occur when stress is placed on a joint or other tissue, often by "overdoing" an activity or repeating the same activity. Overuse injuries include:

Pain and swelling of the sac of fluid that cushions and lubricates the joint area between one bone and another bone, a tendon, or the skin (bursitis).
Pain and swelling of the tough, ropey fibres that connect muscles to bones (tendinitis).
Pain and swelling from tiny tears (microtears) in the connective tissue in or around the tendon (tendinosis). Other symptoms of this type of tendon injury include loss of strength or movement in the arm.
Hairline cracks in bones of the arm (stress fractures).
Pressure on nerves in the arm, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Treatment

Treatment for an arm injury may include first aid measures (such as using a brace, splint, or cast), "setting" a broken bone or returning a dislocated joint to its normal position, Physiotherapy, medicines, and in some cases surgery. Treatment depends on:

The location, type, and severity of the injury.
When the injury occurred.
Your age, health condition, and activities (such as work, sports, or hobbies).

Check your symptoms to decide if and when you should see a doctor.

Check Your Symptoms

Do you have an arm injury?

Yes

Arm injury

How old are you?

Less than 5 years

5 years or older

Are you male or female?

Male

Female

The medical assessment of symptoms is based on the body parts you have.

If you are transgender or non-binary, choose the sex that matches the body parts (such as ovaries, testes, prostate, breasts, penis, or vagina) you now have in the area where you are having symptoms.
If your symptoms aren’t related to those organs, you can choose the gender you identify with.
If you have some organs of both sexes, you may need to go through this triage tool twice (once as "male" and once as "female"). This will make sure that the tool asks the right questions for you.

Has it been more than a month since the arm injury?

Yes

Arm injury over a month ago

Have you had arm surgery in the past month?

If a cast, splint, or brace is causing the problem, follow the instructions you got about how to loosen it.

Yes

Arm surgery in the past month

Have you had a major trauma in the past 2 to 3 hours?

Yes

Major trauma in past 2 to 3 hours

Do you have severe bleeding that has not slowed down with direct pressure?

Yes

Severe bleeding

Do you have symptoms of shock?

The symptoms in an adult or older child are different than the symptoms in a young child.

Yes

Symptoms of shock

Are you having trouble moving your arm?

Pain or swelling can limit movement.

Yes

Difficulty moving arm

Can you move the arm at all?

Yes

Able to move the arm

Unable to move the arm

Have you had trouble moving your arm for more than 2 days?

Yes

Difficulty moving arm for more than 2 days

Is there any arm pain?

Yes

Arm pain

How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine?

Signs of pain in a baby or toddler are different than signs of pain in an older child.

5 to 10: Moderate to severe pain

Moderate to severe pain

1 to 4: Mild pain

Mild pain

Has the pain:

Gotten worse?

Pain is increasing

Stayed about the same (not better or worse)?

Pain is unchanged

Gotten better?

Pain is improving

Do you have any pain in your arm?

Yes

Arm pain

How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine?

8 to 10: Severe pain

Severe pain

5 to 7: Moderate pain

Moderate pain

1 to 4: Mild pain

Mild pain

Has the pain:

Gotten worse?

Pain is getting worse

Stayed about the same (not better or worse)?

Pain is unchanged

Gotten better?

Pain is getting better

Has the pain lasted for more than 2 days?

Yes

Pain for more than 2 days

Is the arm blue, very pale, or cold and different from the other arm?

If the arm is in a cast, splint, or brace, follow the instructions you got about how to loosen it.

Yes

Arm blue, very pale, or cold and different from other arm

Was the arm twisted or bent out of its normal position, even if it is back in place now?

Yes

Arm is or was out of its normal position

Is there any swelling or bruising?

Yes

Swelling or bruising

Did you have swelling or bruising within 30 minutes of the injury?

Yes

Swelling or bruising within 30 minutes of injury

Has swelling lasted for more than 2 days?

Yes

Swelling for more than 2 days

Do you have weakness, numbness, or tingling in your arm or hand that has lasted more than an hour?

Weakness is being unable to use the arm or hand normally no matter how hard you try. Pain or swelling may make it hard to move, but that is not the same as weakness.

Yes

Numbness, weakness, or tingling for more than 1 hour

Do you suspect that the injury may have been caused by abuse?

This is a standard question that we ask in certain topics. It may not apply to you. But asking it of everyone helps us to get people the help they need.

Yes

Injury may have been caused by abuse

Are there any symptoms of infection?

Yes

Symptoms of infection

Do you think the problem may be causing a fever?

Some bone and joint problems can cause a fever.

Yes

Possible fever

Are there red streaks leading away from the area or pus draining from it?

Yes

Red streaks or pus

Do you have diabetes, a weakened immune system, peripheral arterial disease, or any surgical hardware in the area?

"Hardware" includes things like artificial joints, plates or screws, catheters, and medicine pumps.

Yes

Diabetes, immune problems, peripheral arterial disease, or surgical hardware in affected area

Have you had symptoms for more than a week?

Yes

Symptoms for more than a week

Many things can affect how your body responds to a symptom and what kind of care you may need. These include:

Your age. Babies and older adults tend to get sicker quicker.
Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care sooner.
Medicines you take. Certain medicines, such as blood thinners (anticoagulants), medicines that suppress the immune system like steroids or chemotherapy, or natural health products can cause symptoms or make them worse.
Recent health events, such as surgery or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them more serious.
Your health habits and lifestyle, such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug use, sexual history, and travel.

Try Home Treatment

You have answered all the questions. Based on your answers, you may be able to take care of this problem at home.

Try home treatment to relieve the symptoms.
Call your doctor if symptoms get worse or you have any concerns (for example, if symptoms are not getting better as you would expect). You may need care sooner.

HomeTreatment

RelatedInformation

Symptoms of infection may include:

Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in or around the area.
Red streaks leading from the area.
Pus draining from the area.
A fever.

Pain in adults and older children

Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that you can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep, and can't do anything else except focus on the pain.
Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt your normal activities and your sleep, but you can tolerate it for hours or days. Moderate can also mean pain that comes and goes even if it's severe when it's there.
Mild pain (1 to 4): You notice the pain, but it is not bad enough to disrupt your sleep or activities.

When an area turns blue, very pale, or cold, it can mean that there has been a sudden change in the blood supply to the area. This can be serious.

There are other reasons for colour and temperature changes. Bruises often look blue. A limb may turn blue or pale if you leave it in one position for too long, but its normal colour returns after you move it. What you are looking for is a change in how the area looks (it turns blue or pale) and feels (it becomes cold to the touch), and this change does not go away.

Major trauma is any event that can cause very serious injury, such as:

A fall from more than 3.1 m (10 ft)[more than 1.5 m (5 ft) for children under 2 years and adults over 65].
A car crash in which any vehicle involved was going more than 32 km (20 miles) per hour.
Any event that causes severe bleeding that you cannot control.
Any event forceful enough to badly break a large bone (like an arm bone or leg bone).

Pain in children under 3 years

It can be hard to tell how much pain a baby or toddler is in.

Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that the baby cannot sleep, cannot get comfortable, and cries constantly no matter what you do. The baby may kick, make fists, or grimace.
Moderate pain (5 to 7): The baby is very fussy, clings to you a lot, and may have trouble sleeping but responds when you try to comfort him or her.
Mild pain (1 to 4): The baby is a little fussy and clings to you a little but responds when you try to comfort him or her.

Pain in children 3 years and older

Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that the child can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep, and can't do anything else except focus on the pain. No one can tolerate severe pain for more than a few hours.
Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt the child's normal activities and sleep, but the child can tolerate it for hours or days.
Mild pain (1 to 4): The child notices and may complain of the pain, but it is not bad enough to disrupt his or her sleep or activities.

Shock is a life-threatening condition that may quickly occur after a sudden illness or injury.

Adults and older children often have several symptoms of shock. These include:

Passing out (losing consciousness).
Feeling very dizzy or light-headed, like you may pass out.
Feeling very weak or having trouble standing.
Not feeling alert or able to think clearly. You may be confused, restless, fearful, or unable to respond to questions.

Shock is a life-threatening condition that may occur quickly after a sudden illness or injury.

Babies and young children often have several symptoms of shock. These include:

Passing out (losing consciousness).
Being very sleepy or hard to wake up.
Not responding when being touched or talked to.
Breathing much faster than usual.
Acting confused. The child may not know where he or she is.

Certain health conditions and medicines weaken the immune system's ability to fight off infection and illness. Some examples in adults are:

Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS.
Long-term alcohol and drug problems.
Steroid medicines, which may be used to treat a variety of conditions.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer.
Other medicines used to treat autoimmune disease.
Medicines taken after organ transplant.
Not having a spleen.

With severe bleeding, any of these may be true:

Blood is pumping from the wound.
The bleeding does not stop or slow down with pressure.
Blood is quickly soaking through bandage after bandage.

With moderate bleeding, any of these may be true:

The bleeding slows or stops with pressure but starts again if you remove the pressure.
The blood may soak through a few bandages, but it is not fast or out of control.

With mild bleeding, any of these may be true:

The bleeding stops on its own or with pressure.
The bleeding stops or slows to an ooze or trickle after 15 minutes of pressure. It may ooze or trickle for up to 45 minutes.

Seek Care Now

Based on your answers, you may need care right away. The problem is likely to get worse without medical care.

Call your doctor now to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care.
If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have one, seek care in the next hour.
You do not need to call an ambulance unless:
- You cannot travel safely either by driving yourself or by having someone else drive you.
- You are in an area where heavy traffic or other problems may slow you down.

Call 911 Now

Based on your answers, you need emergency care.

Call 911 or other emergency services now.

Sometimes people don't want to call 911. They may think that their symptoms aren't serious or that they can just get someone else to drive them. But based on your answers, the safest and quickest way for you to get the care you need is to call 911 for medical transport to the hospital.

Seek Care Today

Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The problem probably will not get better without medical care.

Call your doctor today to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care.
If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have one, seek care today.
If it is evening, watch the symptoms and seek care in the morning.
If the symptoms get worse, seek care sooner.

HomeTreatment

RelatedInformation

Make an Appointment

Based on your answers, the problem may not improve without medical care.

Make an appointment to see your doctor in the next 1 to 2 weeks.
If appropriate, try home treatment while you are waiting for the appointment.
If symptoms get worse or you have any concerns, call your doctor. You may need care sooner.

HomeTreatment

RelatedInformation

Call 911 Now

Based on your answers, you need emergency care.

Call 911 or other emergency services now.

Put direct, steady pressure on the wound until help arrives. Keep the area raised if you can.

Post-Operative Problems

Arm Problems, Non-Injury

Home Treatment

First aid for a suspected broken bone

Control bleeding with direct pressure to the wound.
Remove all bracelets and rings. It may be hard to remove the jewellery if your arm or hand swells. Swelling without removal of jewellery can cause other serious problems, such as nerve compression or restricted blood flow.
Do not try to straighten the injured arm. If a bone is sticking out of the skin, do not try to push it back into the skin. Cover the area with a clean bandage, and use a splint to support the arm in its current position.
Splint an injured arm to protect it from further injury. Loosen the wrap around the splint if you have numbness, tingling, increased pain, swelling, cool skin, or other symptoms. The wrap may be too tight.
Use a sling to support the injured arm.

Cast and splint care

If your arm is in a cast or splint, your doctor will give you instructions on how to care for your cast or splint. Try to move the uninjured parts of your arm as normally as possible to help maintain muscle strength and tone.

Home treatment for a minor injury

If you have a minor injury and do not need to be checked by a doctor, you may be able to use home treatment to help relieve pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Rest and protect an injured or sore area. Stop, change, or take a break from any activity that may be causing your pain or soreness.
Ice will reduce pain and swelling. Apply ice or cold packs immediately to prevent or minimize swelling. Apply the ice or cold pack for 10 to 20 minutes, 3 or more times a day.
- For the first 48 hours after an injury, avoid things that might increase swelling, such as hot showers, hot tubs, hot packs, or alcoholic beverages.
- After 48 to 72 hours, if swelling is gone, apply heat and begin gentle exercise with the aid of moist heat to help restore and maintain flexibility. Some experts recommend alternating between heat and cold treatments.
Compression, or wrapping the injured or sore area with an elastic bandage (such as an Ace wrap), will help decrease swelling. Don't wrap it too tightly, since this can cause more swelling below the affected area. Loosen the bandage if it gets too tight. Signs that the bandage is too tight include numbness, tingling, increased pain, coolness, or swelling in the area below the bandage. Talk to your doctor if you think you need to use a wrap for longer than 48 to 72 hours—a more serious problem may be present.
Elevate the injured or sore area on pillows while applying ice and anytime you are sitting or lying down. Try to keep the area at or above the level of your heart to help minimize swelling.
Remove rings, bracelets, watches, or any other jewellery from your hand and arm. It will be more difficult to remove the jewellery later if swelling increases.
Wear a sling for the first 48 hours after the injury if it makes you more comfortable and supports the injured area. If you feel you need to use a sling for more than 48 hours, discuss your symptoms with your doctor.
Gently massage or rub the area to relieve pain and encourage blood flow. Do not massage the injured area if it causes pain.
Do not smoke or use other tobacco products. Smoking slows healing because it decreases blood supply and delays tissue repair. For more information, see the topic Quitting Smoking.

Medicine you can buy without a prescription
Try a non-prescription medicine to help treat your fever or pain:
Acetaminophen, such as Tylenol Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Ibuprofen, such as Advil or Motrin Naproxen, such as Aleve Aspirin (also a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), such as Asaphen or Entrophen Talk to your child's doctor before switching back and forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. When you switch between two medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much medicine.

Safety tips
Be sure to follow these safety tips when you use a non-prescription medicine:
Carefully read and follow all directions on the medicine bottle and box. Do not take more than the recommended dose. Do not take a medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to it in the past. If you have been told to avoid a medicine, call your doctor before you take it. If you are or could be pregnant, do not take any medicine other than acetaminophen unless your doctor has told you to. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 18 unless your doctor tells you to.

Symptoms to watch for during home treatment

Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home treatment:

Pain or swelling develops.
Symptoms of infection develop.
Numbness, tingling, or cool, pale skin develops.
Symptoms become more severe or more frequent.

Prevention

The following tips may prevent arm injuries.

General prevention tips

Wear your seat belt.
Don't carry objects that are too heavy.
Use a step stool. Do not stand on chairs or other unsteady objects.
Wear protective gear during sports or hobbies, such as roller-skating or soccer. Supportive splints, such as wrist guards, may reduce your risk of injury.
Warm up well and stretch before any activity. Stretch after exercise to keep hot muscles from shortening and cramping.
Use the correct techniques (movements) or positions during activities so that you do not strain your muscles.
Try not to overuse your arm doing repeated movements that can cause an injury. In your daily routines or when doing hobbies, think about how often you make repeated arm movements. Try to find other ways of using your arms.
Take lessons to learn how to do sports correctly. Have a trainer or person who is familiar with the sport check your gear to make sure it is right for your level of ability, body size, and body strength.
If you think that something you do at work is causing pain or soreness from overuse, call your human resources department for information on other ways of doing your job or to discuss equipment modifications or other job assignments.

Reduce falls

Keep your bones strong

Eat healthy foods such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and dark green, leafy vegetables like broccoli.
Exercise and stay active. Talk to your doctor about an exercise program that is right for you. Begin slowly, especially if you have been inactive. For more information, see the topic Fitness.
Limit how much alcohol you drink.
Do not smoke or use other tobacco products. Smoking increases your chances of having osteoporosis. It also causes problems with the blood supply in your arms and slows healing. For more information, see the topic Quitting Smoking.

Possible abuse

Arm injuries such as bruises, burns, fractures, cuts, or punctures may be caused by abuse. Suspect possible abuse when an injury cannot be explained or does not match the explanation, repeated injuries occur, or the explanations for the cause of the injury change. You may be able to prevent further abuse by reporting it and seeking help.

Preparing For Your Appointment

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.

You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:

What are your main symptoms?
How long have you had your symptoms?
How and when did an injury occur? How was it treated?
Have you had any injuries in the past to the same area? Do you have any continuing problems because of the previous injury?
What activities, related to sports, work, or your lifestyle, make your symptoms better or worse?
Do you think that activities related to your job or hobbies caused your symptoms?
What home treatment measures have you tried? Did they help?
What non-prescription medicines have you tried? Did they help?
Were alcohol or illegal drugs involved in your injury?
Do you have any health risks?

Credits

Current as of:
July 1, 2021

Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine
H. Michael O'Connor MD - Emergency Medicine