Fractures of fingers and other bones of the body were and will be present in life. How to behave after a fracture, everyone should know. This will make life easier for the victim and help a loved one.
Finger anatomy
All fingers, except the thumb, are made up of three bones. The thumb has two bone phalanges:
On the remaining fingers there is another bone - the middle one. The nail phalanges on the arms and legs differ both externally and in the internal bone structure. First of all, they vary in length and thickness. On the upper limbs, the bones of the nail phalanx are usually longer and narrower than on the lower. There is one more difference. The nail phalanx of the thumb has the thickest and shortest bone.
Finger fracture
Fractures are called closed and open. If we touch on the statistics, it will become clear that closed injuries occur more often than open ones. An open fracture is considered to be a situation when a bone is visible from the wound with the naked eye. Closed type - vice versa. Fracture can be one-sided and multilateral, with displacement and without displacement. The offset can be of different types:
- angular;
- on the side of the finger;
- along the length of the finger;
- by rotation.
A special place in the medicine of injuries is the thumb. Most often it is he who suffers from fractures, despite the fact that he consists of only two phalanx bones. This is due to the fact that the thumb is loaded much more than all the others.
Fracture of the phalanx of the finger occurs as a result of non-compliance with safety precautions, as a result of which fragmentation of bone of various severity sets in. Complications may develop without a timely visit to a doctor and recommendations.
Fracture can be confused with a dislocation. The first sign of a broken bone will be sharp pain, but you can’t move your finger at the same time. The second sign is the appearance of edema - the sore spot is very inflated. The apparently irregular shape of the bone directly indicates injury with displacement.
Often, a fracture of the nail phalanx of a finger is confused with a bruise when it is not bone that is damaged, but skin tissue.
- In a fracture, bone damage is inevitable. Pain and swelling are quite pronounced.
- The bruised place does not bother so much, but without interruptions. The tumor in this case is either small in size or does not appear at all.
The doctor at the appointment will quickly determine what happened - a bruise or a fracture. For an accurate diagnosis, you need to visit a surgeon. After a general examination, the doctor directs to an x-ray, which is performed on both sides. The fracture itself and, if any, displacements - fragmentation will be visible in the image. After receiving the picture, the doctor will prescribe further treatment.
But there are difficult cases in which the picture does not become clear with the picture. In such situations, computed tomography helps. With the help of modern diagnostics, you can see a fracture and torn ligaments.
First aid for a fracture
If there are obvious signs of a fracture of the nail phalanx, then, in addition to the fact that you need to immediately consult a doctor, the patient must be given initial assistance. The finger is securely fixed so that there are no complications and displacements. If the fracture is open, you need to immediately rinse the wound, then treat it with any disinfectant, and then bandage the injury site. The procedure is necessary to timely prevent the entry of pathogenic bacteria and other microorganisms into the patient's body.
In order to make the victim feel more comfortable, you can eliminate the pain with the help of a medicine - a pill or an injection. In any case, the unpleasant sensations should subside if the finger is properly fixed.
How to treat a fracture
Fracture treatment is primarily aimed at reducing swelling and pain. The injured finger is firmly fixed with special orthopedic fixators. The orthosis is well established - a special medical device that makes the bone remain in one position. It helps to quickly recover and reduce pain.
The orthosis of our time consists of metal, medical tissue and plates. It is convenient in that, if necessary, the device is easily removable. That is why doctors and patients loved this device more than gypsum.
When establishing an orthosis, the size of the finger must be taken into account. Correct selection of the device will provide the patient with a sufficient sense of comfort.
For a speedy recovery, branded clips are recommended, as it is very easy to run into a fake. As a result, recovery can drag on for a long time.
Recovery period
The timing of recovery depends on the type of fracture of the nail phalanx. If this is a closed option that does not have biases, a full recovery will come after the fourth week. With a fracture with displacements, treatment can take up to a month. And the patient can leave the hospital after a month and a half.
If the treatment was carried out using the Ilizarov apparatus, the recovery process can drag on from one and a half to two months.
Fracture in a child
In childhood, fractures are a common case, as the bones are not yet strong enough. But the fracture in a child is not as serious as in an adult, since in this case only the periosteum suffers, and the bone itself remains intact. Thanks to this feature, children's fractures heal quickly.
Fracture of the elderly
The most unpleasant fracture of any bone in our body happens in old age. With the growth of potassium in the human body, it becomes much less, namely it is responsible for the strength of the bone material. In addition, many elderly people experience osteoporosis, when calcium in the bones does not last long.
To compensate for the deficiency of trace elements, it is recommended to take additional medications. If there is not enough calcium in the body, the bones begin to break even with minor strokes. The recovery period after an injury in an elderly person is much longer than in young people.
Finger Recovery Time
The process of limb treatment as a whole takes a lot of time. After two to four weeks of complete rest have passed since the injury of the nail phalanx of the fingers, it is possible to begin measures to restore the efficiency of the limb.
The doctor in some cases prescribes warming, which you can do yourself using warm salt baths. Such baths help eliminate pain. In addition, it is recommended to attend a special massage. During the healing of the bone cover, calcium can also be taken.
Ways to restore the ability of fingers
After the final healing of the injured limb, therapeutic gymnastics is traditionally prescribed. During the recovery period, the doctor must select a set of necessary exercises specifically for the patient, taking into account the anamnesis and contraindications. In many hospitals, there are halls with a trainer in physiotherapy, but you can do it yourself at home.
Possible complications after a fracture
Despite the fact that the doctor gives practical advice on the future life of the patient, many people neglect recommendations for a temporary change in lifestyle. Failure to appear at the health facility, untimely or interrupted treatment can lead to unpleasant consequences:
- Osteomyelitis, an inflammation of the bone marrow, may begin. With this disease, pus is released from the wound, and the bones are gradually destroyed. This disease is not treatable. The doctor usually decides on amputation.
- Incorrect bone fusion.
- Ankylosis is a disease in which the affected bone stops moving.
- Wrong finger bend.
Toe fractures
Such injuries are well treated and in later life do not remind of themselves. In case of a fracture of the large nail phalanx of the toes, you should immediately consult a surgeon, since untimely or incorrect therapy can lead to complications during walking or running.
A fracture of a toe can occur with a sharp hit on it by gravity, if a person fell himself or stumbled unsuccessfully. Most often, closed fractures occur on the lower extremities, but in some cases there are also open fractures. During the injury, as well as on the hands, severe pain occurs. The finger swells and practically does not move. It happens that with a fracture, blood flows into the nail phalanx. If there is an offset, then this is immediately noticeable, since the finger changes shape. It happens that a crunch is heard when moving.
A fracture of the toe is not as noticeable as on the arm, so it is not immediately clear that the bone is broken. Often, victims do not even think to see a doctor. In case of fractures without displacement, the fingers are fixed with a bandage, and in case of displacement, a brace is placed on the foot. For oblique injuries, the Ilizarov apparatus is used.
With a fracture of the nail phalanx of the thumb, surgery may be necessary. In this case, gypsum is required. The recovery period of the nail phalanges can vary from ten to fifteen days, and if the thumb is damaged, the treatment is longer - from two to four weeks.