Arm Sling & Shoulder Immobilizer – Recommended for effective shoulder immobilisation and arm support following shoulder surgery, shoulder dislocation or shoulder injury. Available in 4 sizes. (Small)

Product Information

Anterior (toward the front) dislocations of the shoulder are caused by the arm being forcefully twisted outward (external rotation) when the arm is above the level of the shoulder. These injuries can occur from many different causes, including a fall or a direct blow to the shoulder. Patients who typically use arm slings include those recovering from fractures, dislocations, sprains, strains, and surgeries involving the arm, wrist, or hand. Additionally, individuals with chronic conditions, such as arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome, may also benefit from using an arm sling for added support and pain relief. Fractures of the clavicle or the proximal humerus can be caused by a direct blow to the area from a fall, collision, or motor vehicle collision. You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your healthcare providers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment. The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you. Because the scapula is protected by the chest and surrounding muscles, it is not easily fractured. Therefore, fractures of the scapula are usually caused by high-energy trauma, such as a high-speed motor vehicle collision. Scapula fractures often occur with simultaneous (at the same time) injuries to the chest. Shoulder Dislocation

When dressing your upper body place your operated arm into your clothes first for comfort. When undressing remove your operated arm last. Options like the DonJoy UltraSling IV, Flexguard Support Arm Sling, Ortho Depot Abduction Sling, Wonder Care Stabilizer, BraceAbility Pediatric 10S0101, and Velpeau Rotator Cuff Support are going to offer the highest level of stability for various reasons. For example, the Flexguard Support Arm Sling and Velpeau Rotator Cuff Support both have a large band that wraps around your arm and your mid-section, so the limb cannot move in any direction. Once you are allowed a little more movement, but still need support, you can simply forego the use of the band. The DonJoy UltraSling IV and Ortho Depot Abduction Sling also have a strap that goes around the mid-section, but it clips to the brace rather than enveloping your entire upper arm. They also hold your limb at a slight abduction, which not only do many find more comfortable, but has been shown to improve healing for various ailments. Additionally, they both have integrated therapy balls. The Wonder Care Stabilizer is interesting in that it has a minimalist design while still providing almost total immobilization. It secures to the arm at the wrist and just above the elbow and holds it tightly against the body. The underlying associated soft-tissue injury (either to the rotator cuff or the capsulolabral complex) Most fractures of the proximal humerus can be treated without surgery if the bone fragments are not severely out of position (displaced). If surgery is necessary, it usually involves: Most fractures of the scapula can be treated without surgery. Treatment involves immobilization with a sling or shoulder immobilizer, icing, and pain medications. The patient will be examined for additional injuries.

Alternative Names

Elevation Sling : Designed to keep the arm elevated, this sling is used to reduce swelling and inflammation after an injury or surgery. It features an adjustable strap system that allows the user to position their arm at varying degrees of elevation. Those early Egyptian texts suggested cotton wraps as a means of immobilization, and cloth of varying materials was the primary way to keep limbs still during the healing process for the next several millennia. The use of wood and leather in the creation of splints and similar immobilization devices was fairly common, as well, though simple cloth was more commonplace, especially among the lower classes who were more strapped for spare materials.

Treatment of shoulder separations is based on the severity of the injury as well as the direction of the separation and the physical requirements of the patient. It is normal to have some swelling/ bruising around your shoulder and down your arm or chest. Often this is worse following trauma or more complicated surgeries. Bruising can be more common if you are medication to thin your blood. You can reduce swelling in your hand and elbow by ensuring you complete the exercises provided and ensuring your sling is applied correctly. If your sling is too loose your arm will hang downwards allowing swelling to gather in your fingers and hand. Other options on the market resemble traditional slings, but they may have additional means to keep the arm and shoulder still. When you sleep, raise your upper body up on pillows. Do not lie flat as it can hurt the shoulder more. You can also try sleeping on a reclining chair. Ask your surgeon how long you need to sleep this way.The physiotherapist will have shown you how to remove and apply your sling on the ward but below is a link if you need some assistance.

Pediatric Arm Sling : Specifically designed for children, these slings are smaller in size and come in a variety of fun patterns and colors to make the recovery process more enjoyable for young patients. Place the chest band where you want it to be. Your device may have a specific part that goes on the side of the injured shoulder. We advise you to sleep in any comfortable position. However, sleeping on your operated shoulder will probably increase your pain. Your sling will need to remain on during the night. You will go home from the ward with a dressing over your wound. The nursing staff will give you dressings to use at home and tell you about when and where to get your stitches out. This is usually about ten days after your surgery.Once you’ve decided on a style, you’ll want to investigate the material quality and breathability of a given model. If you have any sensitivity to certain fabrics, make sure that the option you’ve got your eye on doesn’t contain any of them. Certain materials will breathe better than others, as well, and you might find an immobilizer particularly uncomfortable in a humid climate if it doesn’t breathe well. When recovering from an injury or surgery, it is typically best to use your sling or immobilizer the majority of the day and night. However, the immobilizer does come off to get dressed, take a shower, and perform physical therapy exercises. In addition, whenever sitting in a nice chair or couch, it is perfectly reasonable to remove the immobilizer completely and let the forearm rest on your lap. On the contrary, when being active, especially outside, or when going to sleep, the shoulder immobilizer provides protection and should be used. The shoulder immobilizer also functions a sign to others: if you attend a family reunion or a gathering of friends with your immobilizer on, people will be more careful around you! Most common mistakes when using a shoulder sling or immobilizer Shoulder immobilizers also position your shoulder in a manner that can optimize healing. If an immobilizer froze your arm somewhere above your head, it would likely take you much longer to heal, and you might even heal in the wrong way. But an immobilizer will ensure that tendons or muscles that need time to repair will do so in a manner that’s ergonomic to the natural flow of the joint, preventing the buildup of unnecessary scar tissue and helping you return to the full mobility you enjoyed before the injury. How To Choose The Right Immobilizer For Your Injury If you’ve ever had a serious shoulder injury, you’re well aware of how sensitive the healing process can be. You might not realize it until you’ve had pain in that area, but the shoulders are responsible for a tremendous amount of your upper body coordination, and any injury to that part of the body can be extremely painful, whether you’re inadvertently moving the shoulder itself or just sitting around breathing.

The Toddobra Cool Mesh, Custom SLR Split Strap, Medized Arm Immobilizer, and Quanquer Grey offer a bit more mobility of the joint, but still keep it supported to allow for healing to take place. They all let you use your limb somewhat, since you can move it away from the body if you want to grab a lightweight object, but still reduce strain on the joint because you won't have the weight of the arm pulling against it all the time. You'll also be more conscious of having an injury, making it less likely that you try and use the arm for something you shouldn't. Surgery is necessary when the fracture has broken through the skin, or the bone is severely out of place. More recently, there is some evidence that surgical repair of certain types of clavicle fractures can be beneficial. The evidence of that development comes to us in the form of an ancient document from Egypt. The Edwin Smith Papyrus — named for the man who discovered it, not for an ancient Egyptian with a suspiciously Anglican name — is a long medical text that exemplifies the impressive amount of anatomical knowledge that the Egyptians had amassed.If showering you can remove your arm from your sling and let it hang by your side. Do not lift your arm to assist with washing. To clean under your operated arm, lean to that side so there is a gap between your body and arm, do not lift your operated arm. Professional athletes and manual laborers are often treated with surgery, but the results can be unpredictable depending on the specific injury and activity demands after the operation. Shoulder Dislocations (Glenohumeral Joint) Hook the wrist strap to the chest band. Wrap the wrist band around your wrist. Make sure your hand can move freely. You will need to move your hand and wiggle your fingers to prevent stiffness. Other options on the market resemble traditional slings, but they may have additional means to keep the arm and shoulder still. The great advantage of these is that they won’t slip below the ideal healing position like torso-only models might, and they don’t have to be tightened around your stomach, making them both more comfortable and potentially better for healing.