Once upon a time, it was common practice to tightly wrap someone's chest to "stabilize" rib fractures. This fell out of fashion well over a decade ago because it could lead to a number of serious complications including collapsed lung, pneumonia, and tissue death.
The ways wrapping contributes to further injury are two-fold: a wrap can actually push rib fragments into the chest cavity, causing trauma to the lungs or other structures, and the wrap constricts breathing. When you don't take full breaths, mucous and moisture can build up in the unused lung tissue leading to pneumonia and/or tissue death. Uncomplicated, "simple" rib fractures are treated with ice, pain meds, and limited activity. Complicated, or displaced rib fractures generally require surgery to repair the rib with internal fixation (pinning or plating).
If anyone has any questions about emergency medical care, I've worked for 20 years in veterinary medicine, mostly in specialty practice/emergency and critical care, which is very similar to its human counterpart. I've treated injuries as diverse as gunshot/knife/arrow/machete/spear wounds, venomous snake bites, other animal bites, massive multiple trauma (hit by car, long falls, etc - even a hit by train), burns of varying degree and cover, smoke inhalation, toxic ingestion, drug OD, electric shock, drowning... almost any sort of emergency you could think of.
I am also certified in human CPR, first aid, & wilderness first aid, with additional training specific to natural disasters and similar large-scale emergencies.
Medical Q&A part 2! & PSA: Rib fracture care
The ways wrapping contributes to further injury are two-fold: a wrap can actually push rib fragments into the chest cavity, causing trauma to the lungs or other structures, and the wrap constricts breathing. When you don't take full breaths, mucous and moisture can build up in the unused lung tissue leading to pneumonia and/or tissue death. Uncomplicated, "simple" rib fractures are treated with ice, pain meds, and limited activity. Complicated, or displaced rib fractures generally require surgery to repair the rib with internal fixation (pinning or plating).
If anyone has any questions about emergency medical care, I've worked for 20 years in veterinary medicine, mostly in specialty practice/emergency and critical care, which is very similar to its human counterpart. I've treated injuries as diverse as gunshot/knife/arrow/machete/spear wounds, venomous snake bites, other animal bites, massive multiple trauma (hit by car, long falls, etc - even a hit by train), burns of varying degree and cover, smoke inhalation, toxic ingestion, drug OD, electric shock, drowning... almost any sort of emergency you could think of.
I am also certified in human CPR, first aid, & wilderness first aid, with additional training specific to natural disasters and similar large-scale emergencies.