What should you do first when treating a fracture?

When treating a fracture, the foremost priority is to immobilize the injury. This action is crucial because it helps prevent further damage to the surrounding tissues and nerves and reduces the risk of complications associated with movement. Immobilization stabilizes the fracture site, which is essential to minimize pain and facilitate the healing process. It can be achieved through various methods, such as using a splint or making a makeshift brace.

While assessing vital signs is important in emergency care, it is secondary to addressing a significant injury like a fracture because movement during assessment could exacerbate the situation. Providing pain relief is also important, but it should be done after ensuring the injury is stabilized, as immobilization can inherently reduce discomfort. Moving the person to a hospital is necessary for definitive care, but it must be done after securing the fracture to prevent further injury during transport. Thus, immobilizing the injury is the critical first step in the treatment of fractures.