All extremity injuries need to be treated as broken bones (fractures) until an X-ray can be obtained.There are all kinds of broken bone myths, such as not being able to walk on a broken leg or whether there's a difference between a fracture and a break. If you don't have Superman's X-ray eyes, treat it like it's broken. Take these steps for a suspected fracture:
• Don't try to straighten it.
• Stabilize the limb using a splint and padding to keep it immobile.
• Put a cold pack on the injury, avoiding placing ice directly on the skin.
• Elevate the extremity.
• Give anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or naproxen.