Someone falls, they grab their ankle, or their arm.
Everyone freezes slightly and thinks, “Right. I need to do something.”
In this Trainer’s Corner video, Rosie and Steve talk about why first aid for sprains, strains and suspected broken bones is often much simpler than people expect.
And why sometimes… less really is more.
It’s not about diagnosing
First aid isn’t about proving whether something is broken.
You don’t need to:
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Wiggle it.
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Test it.
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Ask them to “just see if you can walk on it.”
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Try to straighten it.
If it looks painful and they don’t want it moved, that’s your answer.
If you suspect a break, your job is straightforward:
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Keep them still.
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Stop the injury from being moved unnecessarily.
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Call for help if needed.
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Stay with them and monitor.
Quite often, the most helpful thing you can do is… not make it worse.
Consent matters
This came up in the video too, and it’s important.
We don’t override someone because we “know better.”
We don’t decide to strap something up just because that’s what we were taught in the 70s.
If the casualty doesn’t want their arm moved, we don’t move it.
First aid is patient-led wherever possible. We work with the person, not on them.
What about Sprains and Strains?
For soft tissue injuries, we use the acronym RICE:
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Rest
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Ice
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Compression
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Elevation
There’s some discussion in sporting circles about whether icing and compression interrupt natural healing, and you’ll see debate around that.
But in current first aid training, RICE is still widely taught and remains a practical, sensible approach.
The key thing?
Don’t keep running around on it. Don’t force movement. And don’t complicate it.
You don’t always have to “Do Something”
There’s a strong perception in first aid that you must act, that you must fix.
But very often your role is to:
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Keep the casualty comfortable
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Prevent further damage
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Watch for deterioration
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Arrange the next stage of care
Being calm, present, and reassuring is often exactly what’s needed.
Explore more with Onelife
If you found this helpful, you can explore more Trainer’s Corner videos on our website or YouTube channel.
And if you’d like to build confidence in situations like this, you can explore our range of first aid courses delivered in Exeter and across the South West.
