Rehabilitation after a fracture of the navicular bone

During prolonged wearing of a plaster bandage, with a fracture of the navicular bone, rehabilitation procedures are of extreme importance. Gradual load and activities aimed at stimulating blood circulation, as well as metabolic processes, make it possible to significantly speed up the recovery of each motor function of the limb.

Stages of rehabilitation

Rehabilitation after a fracture of the navicular bone consists of the following procedures:

1. Visits to the office of physiotherapy exercises. During the rehabilitation period, purposeful warm-ups are made for both damaged joints and those located nearby. In addition, the classes include the development of an injured limb - exercises are performed to improve fine motor skills. For this, shifting small objects is used, as well as rolling a small ball.
2. Physiotherapy procedures.

In addition, for 15-20 days after removing the plaster bandage, the patient may be prescribed a short-term wearing of a specialized bandage - an orthosis.

Appointment of the orthosis

An orthosis is a lightweight version of a plaster cast splint. The device has the form of mittens without fingertips. You can dress the product with your own hands, using special fasteners. Design feature - the thumb is retracted to the side.

This fixator can be produced in any size and is selected individually for each patient. The orthosis should constantly adjoin to a brush, but at the same time not to squeeze it.

Physiotherapy procedures

Recovery after a fracture of the navicular bone of the hand, as a rule, involves the following physiotherapeutic measures:

• electrophoresis;
• laser therapy;
• quartzing;
• paraffin applications;
• magnetotherapy.

Massage also demonstrates a high level of effectiveness during rehabilitation. Such procedures guarantee increased blood circulation and prevent the state of stagnation. At the same time, it is strictly forbidden to massage the wrist area itself. All manipulations are done around the damaged area.

Hand development

It is necessary to develop a hand immediately after removing the plaster. This stage is extremely important in the fight against tight mobility of the hand. At the same time, it must be remembered that it is forbidden to start development with heavy loads, this can only worsen the condition.

Initial exercises should in no way touch the site of injury. They are carried out by means of finger movements. The wrist joint is connected to the development gradually, over time. Each exercise should be prescribed by the attending doctor, spontaneous development is prohibited, in order to avoid aggravating the injury.

Possible consequences

If the fracture of the navicular bone is not treated, the recovery time of which is long, the following complications may occur:

1. arthrosis
2. Stiff joint mobility or its complete absence
3. Pathological bone fusion
4. Death of the injured bone.

Each of these complications will significantly lengthen the period of recovery and further rehabilitation. Also, the injury in the future will constantly remind of itself.

Recovery time

The duration of the treatment period directly depends on how quickly the patient receives help and how high-quality it will be. If ice was immediately applied to the injured hand, and the patient was immediately taken to the clinic, then the rehabilitation process will be reduced by at least 3-4 days.

The reason is simple - when taking such measures, the edema does not have time to grow, and the hand is instantly immobilized in a plaster splint. The development of edema takes time to fight it.

"Note!" Rehabilitation after a fracture of the navicular bone of the hand, as a rule, does not exceed 2 months. But only if all the doctor's prescriptions were followed, and the patient went to the clinic on time - on the day of the injury.

The gypsum splint can be removed earlier, at the request of the patient. But it is not recommended to do this, because there is a risk of not fully fused bone.

Treatment methods

A fracture of the navicular bone is treated by the following methods:

• conservative treatment;
• surgical intervention.

The method of therapy chosen directly depends on the nature of the injury and its degree.

Treatment of a conservative type

Treatment of a conservative type is resorted to when receiving such injuries:

• crack formation;
• the fracture is not displaced.

In this case, therapy involves the imposition of an immobilizing splint made of gypsum. It is applied from the proximal finger phalanges, located just above their base, to a length of approximately 15 cm from the beginning of the wrist. In this case, the thumb must be fixed as a whole, separately from the rest. It is taken to the side by 25-30 degrees.

After 60 days of wearing, the plaster bandage is removed, after which a control x-ray is taken. If the picture shows bone fusion, then the patient is assigned a rehabilitation period. For the first 15 days, the patient periodically still wears an orthopedic splint.

Operational type treatment

Surgical intervention occurs only in cases where the bone fragments are displaced due to a fracture of the navicular bone. Small fragments are removed under general anesthesia. During the procedure, displaced elements are also reduced.

For proper bone fusion, the following methods are used:

1. Installation of the Ilizarov apparatus
2. Implantation of a graft in the form of a small area of ​​the bone or the use of a plastic endoprosthesis.

A plaster bandage is put on the patient's arm after transplantation. Transplants take root in the human body within 60-90 days, depending on the age category of the patient. After the same time, the Ilizarov apparatus is also removed.

If marginal fragments were found during the operation, they are simply removed from the fracture site. After that, a plaster splint is also applied to the arm.

Ununited bone

Non-united bones are an extremely rare case in medical practice, but still a place to be. Such cases were observed in patients who, due to certain circumstances, could not seek help at the clinic in time. How to be treated in this case - the patient is prescribed an operation during which donor bone tissues are used.