Sling (medicine)
| Sling | |
|---|---|
 An arm sling on a person's right hand | |
| Other names | Arm sling |
A sling or arm sling is a device to limit movement of the shoulder and elbow, or protect the hand while an injury heals,[1] made of cloth or a similar material. The sling normally holds the forearm against the body, horizontally or higher.[2] A triangular bandage[1] or simply a strip of cloth may be used as a sling. Various purpose-made slings are available, ranging from simple strips to felt slings made to cushion the arm from elbow to wrist, with a neck strap, often using hook-and-loop fasteners on a felt body.[3]
Types
Sling types include:[4]
- High arm
- Collar and cuff
- Broad arm
Indications
Common clinical indications:[5]
- Dislocated shoulder: the head of the humerus is detached from the glenoid fossa
- Clavicle fracture: partial or complete break of the clavicle bone
- Acromioclavicular separation: injury to the acromioclavicular joint
- Shoulder sprains
Risks
Prolonged shoulder sling use could lead to a frozen shoulder.[6]
See also
References
- 1 2 "How To Make An Arm Sling". St John Ambulance. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ↑ "Slings and bandages". University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. 14 February 2023. Article describing broad arm, poly, and high arm slings, with advice on use.
- ↑ "Arm slings". Amazon. Retrieved 13 July 2025. Page illustrating a variety of commercially available slings.
- ↑ Jester, Rebecca; Tomlinson, Julie Santy; Rogers, Jean (2021-01-28). Oxford Handbook of Trauma and Orthopaedic Nursing. Oxford University Press. p. 411. ISBN 978-0-19-883183-9.
- ↑ Waterbrook, Anna L. (2016-04-25). Sports Medicine for the Emergency Physician: A Practical Handbook. Cambridge University Press. p. 409. ISBN 978-1-316-42552-7.
- ↑ Collins-Bride, Geraldine M.; Saxe, JoAnne M. (2013). Clinical Guidelines for Advanced Practice Nursing: An Interdisciplinary Approach. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. p. 619. ISBN 978-0-7637-7414-1.
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