Which principle applies for splinting joint injuries?

The principle that splinting for joint injuries can be delayed until the patient is stable emphasizes the importance of prioritizing overall patient assessment and management before addressing specific musculoskeletal injuries. In emergency settings, the primary focus should be on securing the patient's airway, breathing, and circulation, often referred to as the ABCs of trauma care.

While splinting is essential for preventing further injury, managing pain, and promoting healing, it is crucial to ensure that the patient is medically stable first. This allows medical personnel to address more critical life-threatening conditions before attending to joint injuries. Therefore, this principle underscores the hierarchical approach to trauma care, where stabilization of the whole patient takes precedence over treatment of individual injuries.

In practice, splinting may still need to be done promptly if there is a risk of exacerbating the injury or if the injury could lead to complications, but the core concept remains that it should not delay necessary life-saving measures.