The most obvious area where injuries occur is at the striker’s end where finger/hand injuries are caused by the tremendous impact of the ball.

The hand consists of eight wrist bones, the palm with its five metacarpal bones, and the fingers. Treatment of finger fractures differ. Such fractures are generally treated by means of a so-called buddy strap by which the injured finger is attached to the adjacent finger. Any fracture takes six weeks to heal completely.

Suspect a broken bone if:

• You heard or felt a bone snap
• If the person has difficulty moving the injured area
• If the injured area moves in a strange way or is painful to touch

A broken bone needs emergency care.

Do not move the person if you suspect that the neck or back are involved unless the person is in imminent danger from, for example, fire or water. If the person must be moved, then there should be one person controlling the neck and head to keep them in alignment, and at least two people on either side of the person to lift without moving the spine.

If the break is open – with bone protruding and bleeding – apply pressure on the area with a clean gauze pad or clean clothing or other material.

Do not try to push the bone back into the wound and do not try to clean it.

If the person must be moved before medical help arrives, then splint the injured limb using something rigid – rolled up newspaper is effective if nothing else is available. Splints must be long enough to extend beyond joints above and below the area of the break.

Place cold packs or a bag of ice wrapped in cloths on the injured area.

Call for medical help and keep the person quiet and in one position until help arrives.