Using your sling
How to wear your sling and keep your arm healthy while it heals.
You have been given a sling to rest and support your arm while it heals. Here is how to use it properly, and how to keep your arm and hand healthy while you are wearing it.
Your care details
To be completed by the team before you leave.
These suggest the blood supply to the arm is affected.
- Your fingers turn pale, blue or cold and do not improve when you take the sling off and raise the hand
- You suddenly cannot move your fingers at all
- You cannot get to hospital safely
Come back to the ED or contact the service named above.
- Your fingers go numb or tingle and it does not settle when you loosen the sling
- Pain or swelling in your hand or arm is getting worse
- The strap is rubbing your skin red or raw, or the sling no longer fits
- You do not know how long to wear it, or when you can start moving the arm
How long you wear the sling, when you can take it off, and which exercises to start depend on your specific injury — this is written in Your care details above. Do not follow general advice from elsewhere, and do not stop early because it feels better. Unless you have been told otherwise, take the sling off several times a day to move your elbow, wrist and fingers, which stops them stiffening up.
Wearing your sling
- Sit your hand a little higher than your elbow in the sling.
- Wear it as you were told — all the time, or just in the day.
- If you were told you can, take it off for gentle elbow, wrist and finger moves.
- Pad the strap with a soft cloth if it digs into your neck.
- Keep the sling clean and dry.
Keeping your arm healthy
- Wiggle your fingers often to ease stiffness and swelling.
- Keep your hand raised when you can.
- Take off any rings now, in case your hand swells.
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain if you can take them.
What is normal at first
While your arm heals it is common to feel:
This should slowly settle. See the warning signs above if it gets worse.