Fall injuries

Fall injuries are when a person falls from a height or falls off something that moves. The outcome of the fall injury depends entirely on the hight of the fall, the surface, speed and how the person falls. Most fall accidents cause internal injuries, which you cannot treat. Therefore, your job is to secure the person and the scene of the accident, notify and assist.

You need to consider how severe the fall was – the higher the fall – the greater the likelihood of serious injury.

Signs of serious fall injury:

• Is the person conscious?
  Unconsciousness for more than five minutes indicates serious injury. Falling consciousness after waking up from an unconscious state indicates serious injury.
• Seizures (patient is unconscious and shaking)
• Paralysis (reduced mobility in legs and / or arms)
• Open fracture
• Internal damage

Treatment of fall injuries:

The person may choose to sit or lie down, if awake.
If unconscious, place in stable side position. Make sure there are free airways.

In case of bleeding, try to stop bleeding. There is a separate chapter in the course on bleeding.
Keep the person calm. The patient should not walk or move if possible.
Make sure the injured person is as comfortable as possible and does not freeze.