Improvised arm break treatment in medieval ages

[pizzazzical]

Hello! I have multiple questions on this one scenario, I hope that's all right :)

Setting: I am writing a piece set in the "dark ages" around the time of Geoffrey of Monmouth and Arthurian legends. In the fandom canon knowledge and treatment of diseases and injuries is more advanced than it actually was at the time. For example there is knowledge of

Comments

[nokomarie]

Actually, what you describe would be an impacted fracture of the humerus with a potential for dislocation of the shoulder joint. Treatment is to reduce the dislocation of the shoulder joint (a strong man with some knowledge should be able to do it) and follow up as I said before; bind the arm in a neutral position across the torso. The recovery time is long if the shoulder was displaced and the risk high of someone bungling the reduction to the dislocation with concomitant displacement of the fracture at the time. One arm shorter than the other with a very thick bone would be the result of that but I'm not sure you want to dent your character that much.

[pizzazzical]

Hello, thanks for your help! I think I can work with the dislocation, but seeing that a) strength is needed and b) it needs to be 'popped' back into place straightaway (please correct me if I'm wrong!!) I think I'd need him not to have dislocated his shoulder... is that plausible? An arm slightly shorter I'm sure he could live with, but the dislocation is what I'm worried about :x Thanks for your help!

[nokomarie]

The local farrier could do reduce the dislocated shoulder and the sooner the better of course but your guy may have been flexible/lucky and just have broken his arm. Dislocations don't have to be popped back in instantly but the longer the time the greater the swelling and the increased likelihood of loss of blood flow to the arm, all bad.

[pizzazzical]

Okay, thank you loads for your help :DD