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Picture yourself in the backcountry, scrambling over some boulders at the end of a long hike to reach an alpine lake. As you pull yourself over the last rocky ledge, your foot slips on a loose rock, and you tumble backward, crashing into the ground below. As you collect yourself, you can already feel that something is very wrong with your shoulder. It’s dislocated. <\/p>\n
As far as injuries go, shoulder dislocations are relatively common for outdoor adventurists. The good news is that dislocations are often easy to treat once you’re in a medical professional’s trained hands. But, until that moment, they are exceptionally painful, especially if you don’t have a way to keep your arm still. That’s where a sling comes in. <\/p>\n
The purpose of a sling is to keep your arm immobilized, which is necessary for a shoulder dislocation. They’re also good for fractures, if used in conjunction with a splint. Slings are typically made out of large fabric pieces, but you can make them out of a shirt, towel, or even something like a tent’s rainfly. No matter what material you use, the technique is the same.<\/p>\n
Like this illustrated guide? Then you\u2019re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Man<\/em><\/a>liness<\/em><\/a>! Pick up a copy on Amazon<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n