Fracture of the forearm: rehabilitation and treatment

The forearm is part of the arm, including the radial, ulna. In fact, this is the extension of the shoulder. The joint is elbow joint. The forearm is connected to the wrist joint by the wrist joint. In the ICD, the fracture of the forearm is encrypted with code S52. Such a trauma is a serious injury that obliges to urgently contact the doctor. One of the important stages of help is immobilization with a fracture of the forearm. It must be done quickly, neatly, without worsening the patient's condition.

Fracture: Causes

Fracture is provoked by the resulting bone injuries, the causes of which are:

• Unsuccessful falls;
• Direct blows;
• Twisting arms.

The risk of getting a fracture of the forearm is higher if the patient is characterized by:

• Age is older than average;
• Low muscle mass;
• Bone disease;
• Sports activity.

There is a high likelihood of fracture of the forearm in those who face violence or do not receive adequate nutrition.

How to suspect?

With an open / closed fracture of the forearm, patients complain of:

• Pain;
• Swelling;
• Deformation of the affected area.

A sick arm can not move in the normal range.

If you have such symptoms, you should immediately call a doctor. On a primary examination, a specialist conducts a patient interview, collecting information on both symptoms and previous events that provoked a fracture of the forearm. Also, the doctor examines the affected area to make an accurate diagnosis.

Determine the fracture

To diagnose an open / closed fracture of the forearm, in the first place do X-rays. This allows you to get information about the internal structures of the human body, gives an idea of the state of bones. The doctor can pinpoint the problem area.

Another effective and accurate method of obtaining data is computed tomography. In testing, use a computer and powerful X-ray, which allows you to get an accurate picture of internal damage and structure of bones, muscle tissue. Tomography allows you to get an idea of the condition of the tendons, cartilage. If the fracture of the forearm is complex, then tomography becomes an indispensable assistant to a doctor who is engaged in the restoration of bones.

Cope with the problem, you can

Modern medicine allows you to treat a fracture of the bones of the forearm, however, success depends on what is the trauma: exactly where it is within the body, how complex it is. Usually, doctors conduct activities aimed at:

• The return of bones to the initial state, which is often accompanied by anesthesia, surgical intervention;
• Keep the affected area still, until the bones coalesce.

Effective methodologies

That the tire at fracture of a forearm appeared effective, it impose one of following methods:

• Gypsum dressing applied before the operation, and also in cases when the invasive method is not needed;
• Metal plate (installed during operation);
• Screws (are installed invasively).

To reduce the pain syndrome, injections of anesthetics are made. After the operation, the patient's condition is regularly checked by a tomography or X-ray to monitor the healing process. In case of an unexpected displacement of bones, it is immediately possible to diagnose this and take appropriate measures.

What's next?

When the first aid was given at a fracture of the forearm, the operation was done and the patient went on the amendment, it is necessary to do special exercises. Their main task is to strengthen the muscles, to restore the body's ability to move. The main task of the patient and doctors is to restore the ability to function to the shoulders, fingers. Usually, physiotherapy is prescribed and sports are prohibited and any heavy workload is prohibited.

Usually fracture of the bones of the forearm heals about 10 weeks, sometimes - faster. If there was an open or fracture of the forearm with displacement, then the duration of treatment and rehabilitation is greater. In some complex cases, complete recovery can not be achieved. However, in any case, the success of events is largely determined by how clearly the patient follows the instructions of doctors. If they are violated, the likelihood of complications is high.

How to prevent?

Of course, the ability to help with fracture of the forearm is a useful and important skill, but it is even more useful to know how to prevent such a situation. As preventive measures recommend:

• Avoid dangerous situations that can cause injury;
• Control the content of vitamin D, calcium in food;
• Regularly do bone strengthening exercises;
• To train muscles;
• At work, in sports observe safety rules.

Conservative and invasive

A fracture of the forearm can be treated either surgically or in a conservative way. The second option is possible if there is no bias or if the patient's condition is such that the operation carries a high risk for life. The conservative method assumes a long stay in the plaster bandage, which can provoke an incorrect fusion. In many patients who thus treated fractures, the affected limb functions much worse than before the fracture. There are also unstable fractures, in which it is difficult to achieve accurate repositioning.

The operation is recognized by many traumatologists as the best known treatment option in our time. There are minimally invasive methods that allow to operate the ulnar and radial bones. The doctor during the event holds a reposition of bones, fragments, placing them physiologically correctly, and then fixing the position with special devices. A small invasion is achieved by the fact that only small punctures are used to carry out manipulations, and all movements are controlled through X-rays. Soft tissues remain intact, recovery takes a relatively short time, you can leave the hospital earlier. In addition, with such surgery, the risk of complications is reduced.

Fixators and consequences

At fractures of forearms use various fixatives. One of the most effective - intraosteal rods, irreplaceable for damage to diaphyses. When using such latches, you can achieve results with minimal muscle damage. The operation accompanying the installation of the fixators leaves scars, but they are very small, almost invisible even for doctors.

Another popular type of retainer is the plate, fastened to the bones by screws. Osteosynthesis is a kind of "gold standard" of medicine. The most modern models of plates allow you to fix bone fragments in the most correct position and hold them until the fracture has grown together.

It is important!

In the case of an open fracture, it is impossible to avoid surgery. Intervention involves the use of special apparatus that fixes the forearm from the outside. This allows you to stabilize the patient's condition, after which you can proceed to further activities.

When the wound heals, the apparatus is removed and the bones fixed with plates or rods. This approach helps to minimize the possibility of purulent complications.

be careful

Operating the forearm zone is not an easy task. This area is rich in nerves, blood vessels, the damage of which can have a very negative effect on the patient's condition. If you receive additional injuries, there is a high probability of complications that can lead to irreversible loss of motor activity or sensitivity. Most likely a dysfunction of the brush. To avoid complications, the surgeon must carefully plan and implement the intervention.

Danger of healing

Diaphysis of an adult man heals for a long time. After a lapse of six weeks, X-rays of the injured area are made to check the presence of the callus. After another four weeks, a test is performed on the level of strength. Normally, the bone should score up to 80% of the strength level before the fracture. Reorganization of the tissue and complete healing take years.

As the damaged area is merged, a metal clip can be removed. This exercise is not mandatory, but sometimes the presence of a metal element causes discomfort or even pain, which is an indication for removal. Plates, rods are withdrawn from the human body two years or later. Obligatory condition - on a roentgen signs of consolidation should be obvious.

Typical fracture

Usually the typical one is a fracture of Smith or Colles. With this bone damage, debris is not displaced. After X-ray examination, a plaster bandage is applied to the patient to immobilize the affected part. The plaster cast starts at the fingertips, and continues up to a third of the forearm. Immobilization of the hand lasts about a month. When the gypsum is removed, physiotherapy is prescribed to develop the muscles of the wrist. With normal development of the situation, the recovery takes from one to two weeks.

A simple fracture complicated by displacement requires a traction reposition when the bones are bent back, pulling the injured arm. The event requires anesthesia - local, conductive. The assistant doctor pulls the brush, another assistant pulls the limb in the opposite direction, holding the elbow. Gradually, so stretch the bone fragments, create a distance between them, and the doctor manually places all the debris into place, pressing them to take the correct position.

What's next?

When the reposition is completed, make the bandage out of the gypsum, keeping the arm tension to avoid a re-shift. When the gypsum dries, the tension gradually decreases.

If it was not possible to successfully transfer the fragments or found that the fracture is accompanied by a very large number of fragments, if the dislocations or joints have repeatedly appeared, then the operation is urgently needed. Osteosynthesis is carried out, fixators are used from metal, and then a plaster bandage is applied. Usually, with such a fracture in a plaster, you have to spend a month or a half, and rehabilitation takes 2-4 weeks.

Fracture: consequences

Fracture provokes consequences of varying severity. They depend on the location of the damage and its complexity. If the fracture is easy, then everything heals quickly and leaves no visible traces, does not provoke complications. But the displacement of fragments is a signal of increased danger of additional problems. If an open fracture with an offset is diagnosed, then the situation is classified as very complicated.

Usually observe the following consequences of fractures:

• Dysfunction of the nerves;
• osteomyelitis;
• embolism;
• Pathology of splicing;
• Bleeding.

The last complication occurs most often and is provoked by soft tissue injuries. The main difficulty is that it is internal, and is visually reflected by a bruise or invisibly to the eye in principle. The doctor must take into account that bone fragments can injure blood vessels, soft tissue.

Internal bleeding often accompanies closed fractures with displacement. With open fractures, vascular damage is more significant, since the fragments are strongly displaced and external bleeding occurs.

Violation of the nervous activity

This consequence of the fracture occurs quite often and is classified as rather severe. It is provoked by the fact that bone fractures damage the structure of the nerve trunks located near the bones. More often nerve damage is fixed if the fracture with displacement is open. At the moment when the bone gets damaged, mechanically it touches nearby trunks of nerves, because of what they lose their normal performance.

Violation of nervous activity manifests itself by loss of sensitivity, including pain and temperature. In addition, the fingers or the whole brush lose mobility, the limb grows dumb, the joint functions are blocked.