In winter, injuries of the lower extremities are common. The reason for this is slippery slopes and slopes, icy and uneven surfaces. Most often, injuries of the ankles, toes and the entire foot occur during this period. To provide first aid to yourself or your loved ones in the current situation, you should know how the lingette is superimposed on the leg. Everyone should understand how to properly help themselves and others in such a situation. The case can be dispensed with a bruise, but a fracture is not excluded. First you need to figure out what a legged foot is and how it differs from other types of fixing dressings, for example, gypsum.
What is it, where is it used?
The canteen is a plaster cast rewound with a regular bandage. It covers the damaged part of the limb. Used to fix dressings and injured joints. It is a removable element, unlike gypsum, which is very convenient for sanitary treatments. The joints use elastic devices.
Also sometimes called tires. They are used not only to treat injuries, but also to correct congenital pathologies of human limbs. This mainly happens in childhood, when the body is still being formed and it is possible, with the help of a device made by a doctor specially for this patient, to correct the curvature and allow the child to walk straight. Some people do not know what a canteen is, because in everyday life it is called a tire. But not in all cases these concepts can be equated.
How to make a plaster cast yourself?
It is necessary to know that the leg’s foot is sometimes made from ordinary gypsum, or rather, from gauze dressings soaked with it. First, mix gypsum with the same amount of water. After six to seven minutes, the resulting mass should harden. It is important to check the quality of the material at this stage. You can do this by squeezing it into a fist. If after such a manipulation the gypsum does not break, then everything is mixed correctly and you can use it. But if it crumbles or wrinkles in the hand, and even worse, if it smells of rotten eggs, then this material cannot be used.
If gypsum is required to solidify quickly, it must be mixed with warm water. And if you need to slow down the process - then with cold, with the addition of starch paste. When the mixture is ready, you will need gauze, but it should be white. Yellow is not suitable for these purposes. The bandage should be no longer than three meters, at its end it is necessary to pour a small amount of gypsum and rub over the entire untwisted part of the gauze. For the manufacture of langets you need to make from three to eight such layers and stack them from both ends to the middle. After they should be soaked and smoothed between the palms. In places of bends, for example, on the heel, an incision must be made.
The rules for applying a leggings to the foot
In order for this device to be beneficial, and not harmful, you need to know the intricacies of working with the material. The main thing is to fix two joints during the procedure, and with a hip injury - three. While the gypsum is not frozen, it is necessary to give the foot a comfortable position. While the crib is not fixed, you need to hold the limb motionless. It is important to prevent plaster breakage during solidification. At the ends of the dressing, you can put a clean bandage or pieces of cotton wool to avoid rubbing and pressure. She should not press, but she should not be made too loose.
Toe cinch. Features
A crib is placed on the toe in case of a fracture. The main symptoms are: sharp pain, abnormal position of the finger, swelling, unnatural mobility or a crack of fragments. And even hemorrhage under the nail can indicate a fracture. Such symptoms can be seen with injuries of any limb, but in the case of the thumb, things are more critical. In this case, the crib is fixed on the entire foot, up to the shin.
In case of a fracture of the main phalanx of the finger or middle finger, it is superimposed in the form of a sole from gypsum and is attached to the foot with gauze. It turns out a kind of “slipper”, which fixes the injured limb in an even motionless position relative to the entire foot. It will be necessary to use such a device for about six weeks, periodically removing it for processing the skin and replacing the wrapping gauze.
Ankle Fixation
An ankle fracture often happens, and in this case it is necessary to do an x-ray immediately, because its symptoms are very similar to signs of a usual dislocation or contusion: swelling, sharp pain, weak support on the limb. When treating such an injury, it is necessary to consider not only bone restoration, but also the joint. First of all, you should contact an experienced specialist who will fix bone fragments, and only after that it will be possible to impose gypsum.
An ankle cuff is applied in approximately the same way as in the case of a toe fracture . The difference is that with this injury it should be extended to the knee on the back of the leg, and also attached with gauze. But if there was a partial rupture of the ligaments, a fixed ankle should be used on the ankle, which looks like a “boot”. Two weeks later, they change it.
Sprain of the knee
In case of violation of the integrity of the knee joints, a lingette is applied to the leg. This injury is considered the most common among athletes. To begin with, the joint must be brought into a stationary state. If it is not possible to quickly mix gypsum, make a temporary cuff. To do this, attach a plate from the thigh to the heel on the back side of the leg and wrap it with a gauze bandage. The constant is done differently: a tight bandage is applied to the knee, and on top of the knee is fixed a tongue that starts from the hip and ends at the foot.
Pad with additional materials
When stretched and dislocated, an elastic bandage is often used, not a gauze. It has its advantages. It has more ductility and is reusable. This property is very useful for injuries, because such a bandage is easy to remove and treat swelling with ointment. A leg cuff with an elastic bandage is suitable if it is applied a week after the injury, when a fixed cast is no longer needed, but joint fixation is necessary. If possible, it is better to make a cuff from synthetic polymer gypsum. Its advantages are undeniable, because it does not soak and does not crumble.
It should be added that with untimely treatment of injuries of the lower extremities, serious consequences and surgical intervention are possible. When an injury occurs to any part of the legs, you should not look for a photo of the leg’s leg and try to lay it on an unadjusted bone yourself. First of all, you should consult a doctor and take an x-ray.