If you find a person with an injured forearm at an unnatural angle and exposed bone, what should you do?

In the case of an injured forearm that appears at an unnatural angle with exposed bone, the appropriate response is to immobilize the limb using padding to fill the gaps around and under the arm. Immobilization is critical because it helps prevent further injury and reduces pain, as movement can exacerbate the damage and increase the risk of complications, such as further breakage or injury to the surrounding tissues. By using padding, you can stabilize the bones and maintain the limb in a fixed position, which is essential before professional medical help arrives.

Moving the limb gently to ease discomfort would risk worsening the injury, as it could lead to additional movement of the fractured bone fragments. Repositioning the limb to a normal angle could also cause more harm by forcing it into a position that could aggravate the injury or damage surrounding nerves and blood vessels. Applying ice might help reduce swelling once the injury is stabilized, but it is not the first priority when faced with exposure of bone and an unnatural angle. Therefore, immobilization is the safest and most effective initial response in this situation.