🎃 🙃 💔 Shin fracture: types, treatment, rehabilitation and consequences 👥 🙎🏻 🛀🏿

According to statistics, every tenth skeleton injury is a fracture of the fibula or tibia. Damage is often found in both children and adults. Further treatment and rehabilitation are completely dependent on the nature of the injury and the severity of the possible consequences. One thing can be said: if a leg fracture occurs, it is urgent to contact a traumatologist. The fact is that delay and excess load can only aggravate the situation.

The concept of fracture in terms of anatomy

First, let's talk about the structure of the lower leg, so that readers have an idea. The skeleton of this part of the leg includes two bones: the tibia and fibula, which are connected by an interosseous membrane. It is logical that the main load falls on the tibia, since it is a supporting one.

Shin fracture - violation of the integrity of bone tissue, in this case, on the site between the knee and foot. Quite often, a particularly difficult situation occurs when damage is accompanied by displacement. This means shifting a broken piece of tissue left or right. In the event of injury, a person will not be able to walk normally for a while, it is better not to step on a sore foot until the doctor's permission. Shin fracture is often treated with a fixation bandage and subsequent casting. In the process of rehabilitation, the patient needs physical rest, you can not once again load the leg. It will take several months before a person with such damage can return to a full life, so you should be careful and take care of yourself.

Injury classification

There are many divisions of this injury into types and types. Consider the most popular classifications. Fracture of the leg bones can be single or multiple. In the first case, damage is present only in one area, and in the second - in several places at the same time.

If we talk about the line of breakdown, three varieties should be noted:

straight when the bone breaks exactly across;
oblique, meaning injury, in which the bone is damaged diagonally;
spiral, that is, all situations where the fracture line is uneven.

As already noted, in medicine there are injuries of this nature with and without displacement. To determine this factor, a traumatologist estimates the distance between bone fragments from each other. If the parts are far away, and it is difficult to connect them together, then we are talking about a fracture of the lower leg with displacement. In another situation, when fragments can be easily connected to form whole bones, we are talking about damage without displacement.

In addition to the above classifications, there is another, which is the most popular. Specialists distinguish two types of injuries:

Closed fracture of the leg. The less dangerous option is possible, in which there is no damage to the skin, and bone fragments are located in the leg.
Open fracture. A more severe case is characterized by rupture of muscles and skin by bone fragments.

Most often, patients have a fracture of the fibula. However, in some cases, both bones are damaged at once. The injury can be localized anywhere: in the lower, middle or upper parts of the lower leg.

Causes of fracture

Every day, a person is at risk of injury. Often the patient himself is responsible for the occurrence of damage. Fracture of the lower leg in all cases is a consequence of force majeure. It is worth noting that tibia injuries are divided into traumatological and pathological. The first option is characterized by the external influence of strong pressure on the bone tissue. Pathological damage results from slight contact due to abnormal fragility. In addition, various diseases like tuberculosis and osteochondrosis can affect bone softening.

So, back to the causes of the fracture. Most often, the injury is the result of a fall during dangerous sports. Often there are such cases during a traffic accident. Moreover, a shin fracture with a shift in this situation is observed more often than without. Sometimes injury occurs as a result of the fall of a heavy object. The bone lends itself to pressure and breaks easily under the influence of the load.

$swelling of the leg as a symptom of a fracture$

The fair sex is injured of this nature while wearing uncomfortable high-heeled shoes. It is necessary to decide which is more important: beauty or health. Excess weight can also be attributed to the causes of the fracture. In practice, there have been cases when the injury occurred as a result of a fall on the street during icy weather. In winter, you need to be especially careful. In such situations, a fracture of the lower leg without displacement is often observed. This injury will disable you for one to two months.

Signs

Symptoms may differ in the case of damage to different bones, the area of injury, etc. We will consider the common signs that are often found with damage to the lower leg:

severe acute pain at the site of damage;
the appearance of a tumor and the rapid spread of edema around the affected area of the limb;
in case of an open fracture of the leg, a gap or a slight tear of the skin with bone fragments is observed;
change in the appearance of the lower limb in the area of injury;
during attempts to start movement, pain in the injured leg increases;
it is impossible to step due to severe pain and broken bones.

If you find such symptoms, you must provide first aid and call a team of doctors. It is very important not to delay, but to do it on the day of the injury so as not to get unnecessary loads that can lead to complications.

First aid

Often, a lot depends on providing assistance before the arrival of doctors, so you need to be very responsible for this issue. Firstly, if there is a suspicion of an injury of a nature in question, it is necessary to immobilize a person. Secondly, a homemade splint should be applied for fracture of the leg bones. This is done quite simply: you need to take any long and even objects that come to hand, wrap them with a piece of clothing on the right or left side.

If we are talking about an open fracture, when bone fragments tear the skin, resulting in bleeding, it is necessary to carry out other actions. First you need to urgently stop the blood. Apply cold to the skin around the opening wound, for this use snow, ice from the street or refrigerator. Wrap a piece of cloth before applying cold. When the bleeding decreases, tie a wound with a clean dressing, you can use bandages.

If the patient shows a very strong bruising, accompanied by a stream of blood, be sure to apply a tourniquet. In this case, it is possible to avoid profuse blood loss. The tourniquet is superimposed above the wound by 15 centimeters and is tightly tightened. After an hour and a half, it is necessary to weaken the cravings to prevent the death of parts of the body. After some time, the tourniquet is tightened again.

Sometimes patients show bones sticking out of the wound. In no case should you try to set them back before the doctors arrive! It is easier to provide first aid for a closed fracture of the lower leg bones. However, you need to be prepared for everything and be able to save a person in any situations.

Diagnostic measures

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of diagnostics in the problem under consideration. Based on the description of the injury, the doctor prescribes further treatment. As soon as the patient is in the hospital, the doctor examines the patient, collects data on the circumstances of the injury and the nature of the injuries. In any case, the doctor directs the victim to an x-ray, and the picture must be taken in two projections for the most accurate diagnosis. Additional studies are sometimes prescribed. If you have a closed shin fracture, an x-ray is often enough to make a diagnosis.

With intraarticular trauma, arthroscopy is necessary. This procedure is quite effective, because it allows you to determine the degree of damage to the condyles in the ligaments of the joint. The doctor examines the cavity of the lower leg with a special video camera. If the fears are confirmed, he prescribes a specific treatment. If intraarticular damage is suspected, magnetic resonance therapy is recommended. If the x-ray does not provide enough information, the doctor performs a CT scan to see the full picture of the injury.

General principles of treatment

Fracture of the leg bones in any form involves the implementation of certain steps. Let's consider them in more detail:

In order for the bone to properly heal, it is necessary to bring the debris into the correct position. If the injury is not serious, you do not need to do this. But in other situations, the doctor independently conducts a displacement under anesthesia. Sometimes it comes to perform surgical intervention in order to give the correct position.
Next, you need to fix the fragments using one of the tools. Usually use a knitting needle, plate and side loops. This operation is called osteosynthesis.
When a person has damage of this nature, it is necessary to walk in a cast. A splint fracture splint is applied only as part of first aid. Doctors fix the limb with plaster. It must be worn until the bone is completely fused. It is difficult to say how long this will last in time, it all depends on the complexity of the injury.
The methods and methods for fastening fragments can be very different, the traumatologist selects them. It happens that a certain option does not justify itself, then you can use another.
About a third of all fractures occur with displacement. In this case, an operation with the installation of the plate is necessary. Rehabilitation can last up to one year, and the load is allowed to be given only after three to four months. It is worth noting an interesting fact: the most common injury of this nature is a closed fracture of the left lower leg.

These principles are used by almost every traumatologist. Depending on the severity of the damage, some items may be skipped. The most serious trauma for subsequent treatment is an open fracture with a shift, because damage to nerve fibers, blood vessels and joints occurs. The methods of treatment may depend on the circumstances of the injury.

Not all situations require immediate action. For example, with damage such as a fracture of the external ankle of the lower leg, the foot often swells. Due to edema, doctors can intervene only after a few days.

Surgical intervention

It should be noted that this type of treatment is rarely used in practice. To justify the intervention of surgeons, one of the following conditions must be met:

lack of ability to compose bone fragments without opening tissues;
trauma of the tibia in several places with a serious displacement of fragments;
muscle deformation;
if there is a risk of a closed fracture turning into an open fracture;
bone fragments pinch the blood arteries and nerve fibers;
open leg injury.

As we have already noted, there are situations when the patient shows damage to two bones of the area from the foot to the knee simultaneously. Then the intervention is performed only on the tibia, since the smaller one can grow together. The essence of the operation for fracture of the lower leg with a shift is to give the bone tissues the correct position and their reliable fixation.

If several breaks are detected, special plates must be used. They are attached to bone tissue with screws and pins, and then stitches are applied to the skin. In the process of subsequent treatment, the patient should undergo a radiography regularly to understand the process of bone fusion. It is worth noting that the plates remain in the lower leg for a year. This is done to reduce the load on already fused tissue. When enough time has passed, the patient will need another operation to remove the plate from the lower leg. A person can understand when a bone has grown together. Remember: if you can control the movements of the legs and fingers, then all the tissues fell into place.

Injury recovery

Proper rehabilitation is a very important component for the restoration of motor function. In order for the leg condition to return to normal, all physical effort must be applied. Fracture of the lower leg is a very serious injury, in which not only the bones, but also the soft tissues are affected.

When bone fusion occurs, the muscles in the leg atrophy. Disturbed blood circulation in the tissues compressed by gypsum. However, if rehabilitation is carried out correctly, then the negative symptoms can be eliminated. The recovery process is long and difficult. The patient needs to be prepared for the fact that at first it will hurt to step on his foot. Despite this, one cannot ignore the instructions of doctors. You may have to re-learn how to perform simple movements, but do not be afraid. If you approach this issue responsibly, recovery will be much faster than expected.

Fracture of the lower leg. Rehabilitation

To return the leg the ability to move, it is necessary to perform a range of activities. There are several recovery methods that the attending physician chooses in a particular situation:

Physiotherapy. Certain tasks are selected for each patient individually. The choice of exercises is influenced by many factors: the severity of the injury, the rate of growth, etc. You need to exercise daily, then the muscles will be in good shape, which will eliminate blood stasis.
Massage and rubbing. It is necessary to develop a limb immediately after removing the plaster cast. The procedures are carried out daily, their goal is to prevent the formation of scars on soft tissues.
Physiotherapy. The doctor prescribes these measures to accelerate the healing process and prevent the inflammatory process. It is worth noting that the most effective way will be the use of complex therapy, which will include all the types of rehabilitation considered.
Proper nutrition. There will not be a diet with a limited list of products. However, doctors recommend consuming foods rich in calcium, vitamins, and iron.

Step-by-step rehabilitation

The recovery process can be divided into three stages. It should be said that any procedures are performed only after removal of the plaster cast. Up to this point, the patient needs physical rest and avoidance of stress. So, rehabilitation in three steps:

First, let's talk about massage and rubbing. As already noted, these measures prevent the formation of scars. Massage is carried out using a special cream, the action of which is aimed at restoring tissues. As part of the first stage, many doctors recommend taking baths with sea salt, undergoing magnetotherapy sessions and doing wraps with wax. So far, you can forget about the loads on the limb, you should move around with a crutch or a cane. At first, it is not recommended to do any exercises, for a start it is necessary to develop a limb. Wiggling your fingers, lowering and raising your legs will be enough.
The second step is considered the most important in the recovery process. The goal is to restore all possible functions to the leg. To achieve the set result, you need to continue to perform massage and rubbing procedures. In addition, you need to exercise, walk more. If possible, you should hire a specialist who will engage in physical therapy with you, since not all tasks will be appropriate in a particular case. A competent trainer will develop a training program that will speed up the recovery process.
The third stage is characterized by exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles of the ankle. It is then that a person ceases to limp, he will be able to freely step on a damaged limb.

In addition, it is difficult to overestimate such factors as home regimen, the implementation of the doctor's recommendations, and proper nutrition. Your character, perseverance and patience will only help you recover faster. No one is safe from a leg fracture, so if an injury has occurred, do not panic. First aid, plaster casting and rehabilitation after an injury will make you feel like a full-fledged person again.

Shin fracture: types, treatment, rehabilitation and consequences