Recovery after a fracture of the radius

Medical practice notes a fracture of the bone in the region of the radial junction as the most common cause of treatment for fractures. The injury occurs due to the fact that the fall causes a reflex in the body and the arm is thrown forward, and since the bone near the wrist is fragile, it is the first to be damaged. The fall softens, but the load leads to a poor outcome. A fracture of the radius requires rehabilitation using a complex impact.

Rehabilitation after a fracture of the radius

From the course of anatomy, it is known that the bone, called the radius, is the connecting element of the wrist and the composition of the elbow. Due to the fact that this part of the arm is thin, it is correspondingly easy to get a fracture. The main cause of injury is the fall of the patient forward with the ejection of the arm forward. This gesture is purely intuitive and is not controlled by the person himself.

It is possible to break the radius bone not only in a fall, but also due to calcium deficiency in the body. The bones become brittle, even a slight impact can lead to a violation of the integrity of the joint. The problem of lack of calcium compounds is relevant for all ages.

No matter how the injury appeared, doctors divide it into two types. The separation depends on how the broken sections are located relative to each other:

• The beam connection is damaged, but there is no displacement. The areas where the fracture line passed are close, soft tissues, blood vessels and nerve endings are not damaged. In order for the recovery to go quickly, it is enough to apply plaster and fix the place;
• The bone is broken and displaced from its original position. In this case, it is likely that the injury has spread to the soft tissues. Nerve endings and blood vessels are also negatively affected. Rehabilitation after a fracture of the radius with displacement will take a longer period. Often, to splice damaged areas, it is necessary to install special equipment, to perform a surgical operation. Rods, brackets, screws act as connecting devices.

Each type of fracture determines the direction of therapy and a further recovery program. For any type of injury, a plaster cast is applied to the arm, which can firmly fix the joint and the broken bone:

• A simple injury heals faster and begins to move;
• A compound fracture with a displacement allows you to bring the damaged areas as close as possible.

When the main stage of treatment is completed and there is no longer a need for a strong fixation of the arm, the plaster is removed. While inside, the hand has undergone some changes that pass over time, but at the initial stage, the following symptoms will be observed:

• The hand is blue due to the disrupted work of small capillaries located close to the surface of the skin. When applying gypsum, squeezing occurs, which leads to the impossibility of the normal movement of blood. The walls of small vessels become weak, burst easily, which leads to small hematomas and blue hands;
• The movement of the brush is limited. Often the patient cannot move the hand and keeps it in one position, since any change causes pain;
• It seems that the size of the hand has decreased.

Recovery after a fracture of the radius occurs gradually and can take a long time. The period of being in a cast negatively affected the mobility of the muscles. They have atrophied, returning to normal functioning will require the use of various techniques. The following procedures are used as an integrated approach to the development of hand performance:

• Massaging;
• Trituration;
• A set of special exercises that are part of physiotherapy exercises;
• Physiotherapy treatment.

The recovery process after a fracture of the radius with displacement is unpleasant and lengthy. But to get results, you should undergo procedures daily, without missing sessions. It is worth immediately warning that pain occurs during the manipulation. When performing exercises, you need to strain your arm, which is also associated with an uncomfortable state. But the efforts made will give their result in the form of recovering muscles, returning mobility and working capacity to the hand.

Exercise therapy after a fracture

After removing the cast, the doctor creates a rehabilitation program containing all types of physiotherapy procedures, scheduled in stages. Exercise therapy after a fracture of the radius goes through the following stages:

• during the first 14 days, only isometric exercises are used, aimed at muscle tension, without stretching them. During this period, the joint is actively working;
• after the muscle apparatus has restored its tone, and the joint has grown stronger, you can move on to more active exercises. Training becomes more active, work begins with the joint, forcing it to move;
• as motor activity is restored, the hands move to the elbow joint. Exercises consist of flexion, extension. The process takes place slowly so that there are no sprains and ruptures of internal connective tissues;
• after 1.5 months, you need to fully load the arm using strength exercises;
• when the functioning of the hand and elbow joint returned to normal, they begin to restore the mobility of the shoulder and forearm. Here, the activities should be carried out with caution, with a gradual complication of development.

Restoration of mobility

Rehabilitation after a fracture of the radius begins with the return of anatomical mobility of the limb. For this, special exercises are performed, simple and effective:

• the patient clenches his hand into a fist and tries to squeeze his fingers as tightly as possible. If the injury was serious, then the exercise is difficult. Together with the clenching of the fist, it is difficult to lift a cup filled with water. Therefore, you need to start with the development of fine motor skills of the fingers. To do this, take a piece of plasticine and knead with your fingers. You can use a special toy against stress. Gradually, the muscles will strengthen and will be ready for more complex exercises and heavy loads;
• The next exercise is performed at the table. Put your hands on the surface, put your palms together. Tilt to one side and the other. Movements should be done smoothly, carefully, without pain. Gymnastics can be done not only sitting at a table, but also sitting on a sofa, armchair or in bed;
• take two tennis balls and scroll in your hand. To perform this exercise, you can use balls with spikes to affect the blood vessels and provide more oxygen to the tissues;
• throw a tennis ball so that it hits the wall and then catches it. There is an active development of the wrist joint.

The specified gymnastics helps to effectively restore primary mobility, restore functionality to the hand. The main purpose of the exercises is aimed at that. So that the bone and muscle apparatus would remember the behavior of the hand before the injury occurred. Other exercises are added to gymnastics that help restore blood supply to the arm.

Treatments in the water

The positive impact of exercises carried out in the aquatic environment after a fracture of the radius is noted. Any muscle tension is painful and for many it becomes an obstacle to recovery. To reduce or even remove the uncomfortable condition, water procedures are used. Warm water is used, which can reduce pain, remove spasmodic phenomena in the muscular apparatus, and help the hand to relax.

The procedure is performed at home. You need to take a large container: a basin or a bowl, sufficient to accommodate your hand. As a rule, the temperature is made at about 36 degrees. The exercises used for rehabilitation are prescribed by a specialist for each patient separately. At the first stage, all actions are performed under the supervision of a doctor, then you can move on to self-study.

Gymnastics that restores a limb after injury:

• the hand is placed on the elbow in a container of water. The amount of warm liquid should reach up to the forearm, at this time the edge of the palm rests on the bottom of the bowl. More interesting is to clench your fist, then you need to unclench your hand. Compared to performing on land underwater, this process is easier and less painful. You also need to slightly rotate the brush. Movement makes it possible to develop a beam connection. Perform 6 times;
• unfold the palm and put it on the bottom, raising the fingers in turn. For each finger, six raises must be done;
• The following exercise is aimed at developing the wrist joint. The bottom touches the palm, then the back of the hand.

Water procedures are recommended to be performed daily, without missing classes, in order to achieve maximum results in a short time.

Massage parlor visit

Gymnastics cannot fully restore the motor activity of the limb, therefore the rehabilitation complex includes the use of massage techniques. Due to the external influence on biologically active points on the arm, blood circulation is improved, the process of muscle atrophy is prevented. In case of a fracture of the radius, the following actions are carried out:

• massage is done without pain. Initially, the effects are superficial, uniform, by stroking. As a result, small vessels expand in the epidermis, more oxygen and nutrients enter the tissues;
• each subsequent impact contributes to the heating of the fracture site. It seems that the movements are performed inside. At this stage, the massage affects the muscles of the damaged area, increases the tone by mechanical irritation;
• at the last stage of the massage course, exercises from the course of restorative gymnastics are added. A complex of techniques helps to develop muscles, strengthen and stretch.

Performing a massage does not require a daily visit to the office. But if the course has begun, it is brought to an end. Then there is a break.

Physiotherapy activities

The complex of procedures includes physiotherapy after a fracture of the radius. This includes procedures aimed at warming the damaged area, contributing to the accelerated formation of new tissues, and the healing of the area. Warming up helps to remove spasmodic phenomena in the muscles, eliminates hematoma formations, relieves swelling.

Carrying out physiotherapy procedures is possible in a hospital with the use of special medical equipment. Methods that improve the condition of the hand after injury:

• as soon as it becomes possible, compresses consisting of paraffin and ozocerite are made according to the doctor's prescription. Substances are preheated to a warm state. The beneficial effect is to eliminate soreness at the site of bone damage;
• Laser. The procedure consists in irradiating the fracture zone of the radial junction. Due to the effect, blood vessels better supply soft tissues with blood, regeneration progresses faster. The technique is popular among doctors because of the high efficiency of the action;
• Electromyostimulation. Special medical devices generate small impulses and act on the muscle tissue located near the damaged bone, causing contractile movements. This helps prevent atrophy.

Physiotherapeutic procedures begin to be applied already on the 14th day after injury. Activities help reduce the resulting swelling at the site of bone damage.

Injury that occurs in the region of the radius, the process is unpleasant and painful. Recovery lasts at least a month, if the bone has shifted after the lesion, then rehabilitation will be delayed for up to 60 days. It is worth noting that the duration of recovery depends on the patient himself and his desire for recovery. Performing gymnastics, massage and undergoing other procedures contributes to the speedy restoration of the working capacity of the hand.