Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft Tissue Injury – injury to one or more tissues and/or surrounding bones and joints Includes: skin, veins, fascia, arteries AND cartilage, tendons, ligaments, muscles (next unit) Can occur alone or accompany a fracture

Wounds are either closed or open Open: breaks skin or mucous membrane Closed: Does not break skin Open wounds all need sometime of first aid Control bleeding Prevent infection

Abrasion Open wound, outer layer has been scrapped off Treatment: Wash area with soap and scrub out dirt Flush with water Dress wound with antibiotic ointment and keep covered Keep eye out for further infection or blood poisoning (red streaks)

Lacerations Tear in the skin Treatment: Can be minor or very deep Can extend to muscles, nerves, and ligaments Treatment: Clean with soap and water Compression dressing Possible stitches or surgery

Puncture Wound Pointed object directly pierces soft tissue Treatment: Most susceptible to infection Treatment: Do not remove object Clean with soap and water Stabilize the object and dressing Get medical help If wood splinter: DO NOT soak in water (wood decomposes)

Incision A clean, straight, knife like cut Treatment: Can be deep and cut into other tissues Treatment: Clean with soap and water Pull edges together and hold with butterfly stitches

Avulsions A soft tissue injury in which tissue is torn loose or missing If flap of skin is removed but can be found, save it Treatment: Clean with soap and water Use compression bandage to dress wound If you have detached skin, keep in saline soaked gauze and keep on ice

Calluses A thickened, usually painless, area of skin caused by friction or pressure Treatment: Use pumice stone to file off the thick skin Stop friction that is causing callus

Blisters A bubble-like collection of fluid beneath the epidermis of the skin Treatment: Clean area and place donut pad around blister to disperse pressure

Bites Can occur from insects, animals, or humans Treatment: Can result in puncture wounds, lacerations, or avulsions Insects can carry diseases or be poisonous Animal bites can transfer rabies Treatment: Watch for further complications

Hematomas A blood-filled swollen area Treatment: Closed wounds Bruising will occur Typically there is significant trauma to surrounding tissue Treatment: ICE – Ice, compression, elevation When icing, only apply ice for 20 mins, then give 1 hour rest

Contusions Injury caused by seepage of blood into tissue, bruising Caused by a sudden blow to the tissue, resulting in internal bleeding Treatment: ICE

Skin Infections Many times, infections occur on the skins surface Examples: athletes foot, ringworm, impetigo

Dermatophytes – fungus that grows on top of skin Examples: ringworm, yeast infection, athletes foot Ringworm and athletes foot are highly contagious Fungus likes to grow in warm, moist environments Treatment: Antifungal sprays or creams Air out BUT if competing – must cover up

Herpes – viral infection that affects the skin Different varieties of herpes Chicken pox, shingles, upstairs & downstairs Highly contagious Treatment: None

Papilloma virus – causes warts Highly contagious Common on fingers and toes Treatment: See a doctor Typically they can freeze off

Impetigo – bacterial infection on surface of skin Highly contagious Treatment: Antibiotics Remove from contact sports