During a soccer game, a 20-year-old man has an anterior bulge in the left shoulder. The most effective method of immobilizing this injury is:

• A. A sling to support the left arm and swathes to secure the arm to the body
• B. A sling to support the left arm and swathes to maintain downward traction
• C. An air-inflatable splint with the left arm immobilized in the flexed position
• D. A long board splint with the left arm immobilized in the extended position

Answer: (A)

When a shoulder is dislocated, the goal is to keep the arm from moving relative to the torso. The most effective way to do this in the field is to support the arm with a sling and secure it to the body with swathes. Keeping the arm close to the chest limits movement of the humeral head within the joint, reduces pain, and lowers the risk of further injury during transport. Other methods either don’t adequately restrict shoulder movement (downward traction can be disruptive and doesn’t stabilize the joint) or involve equipment/positions that are less practical or protective for a dislocation in a real-time setting.