How to Make a Shoulder Sling From a T-shirt

Slings are used to immobilize injured arms. They are usually used in cases of a broken or dislocated arm or shoulder. Anyone with an injury should seek professional medical help as soon as possible. However, if an injury occurs in an area where medical help is not immediately available, a temporary sling can be created and used until the injured individual is able to visit a medical facility.

Things You'll Need

• T-shirt
• Scissors
• Safety pin (optional)

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Instructions

• 1

  Lay the T-shirt out on a flat surface. Use scissors to cut a seam up the side of the T-shirt. The seam should stretch from the lower hem of the shirt up through the underarm and armhole on one side of the shirt. If scissors are not available, the shirt can be cut carefully using a knife or ripped along this side panel.

• 2

  Unfold the shirt to form a rough rectangle. The shirt will not be exactly rectangular due to the neck and armholes. To create a sling for and adult, you will need a rectangle that is 5 feet wide and 3 feet long. To create a sling for a child, you can use a smaller piece of fabric.

• 3

  Cut diagonally across this rough rectangle to form a triangle. If scissors are not available, you can also form a triangle by folding the fabric across diagonally.

• 4

  Place the injured individual's arm in the sling, with the short point of the triangle at her elbow and the wrist in the middle of the long straight-edge of the triangle.

• 5

  Fold the two long points of the triangle up so that the two points meet at the injured individual's opposite shoulder. Use a safety pin to attach the two points together just above the shoulder. If a safety pin is not available the two points can be knotted together.

• 6

  Tighten or loosen these two ends until the injured arm is at rest with the elbow bent at a right angle.