It is the radius that often suffers during fractures. This is due to the very thin lower part of it, which is located near the wrist. Also, if a person falls, then his hand instinctively stands forward. Thus, he insures himself, but the main load falls on the radius. Consider exercise therapy for a fracture of the radial bone.
Types of Fractures
More often than women or elderly people suffer from fractures of the wrist joints in the ulnar zone. Such injuries are divided:
- On flexion fractures.
- Extension fractures.
It depends on which side is under pressure. In the first case, a fragment of a bone is displaced to the palm. With an extensor fracture, the fragment moves toward the forearm. When a bone breaks into three or more fragments, they speak of a comminuted fracture. In the presence of bias, the situation is complicated. If this type of fracture is improperly treated, then the mobility of the limb may disappear altogether or the arm will not function properly.
Exercise exercises after a radius fracture and rehabilitation measures will vary depending on the type of fracture.
What are the main causes of such damage?
Radial fractures with displacement occur most often in the event of an unsuccessful fall.
Ice or cycling can result in personal injury. It could all be the cause of a traffic accident. Or a heavy object may fall on your hand, but this is rare. Injuries at work through a complex mechanism or at a construction site also happen.
People with weakened bones with a lack of calcium have the hardest time than everyone else. Fractures in them occur more often than in others. Osteoporosis contributes to such injuries. Calcium is often not enough for older people or women while waiting for the baby.
Symptoms
Signs of a radius fracture are similar to those of other fractures. There may be no pronounced pain, so people do not immediately contact doctors. This can complicate exercise therapy.
A fracture of the radius in a typical place is characterized by the following symptoms:
- At the very moment of injury, the pain can be sharp, and then it gradually decreases.
- You can hear a crunch at the time of the fracture.
- If there is a strong displacement, then upon examination it will be noticeable (a sore hand will outwardly differ from a healthy one).
- Swelling occurs after a few hours after an injury, spreads throughout the limb.
- With a comminuted fracture, a hematoma or bruise will be present due to the fact that the vessels are torn.
- At the site of damage, the limb overheats.
- If nerve endings are impaired, numbness and loss of sensation may occur.
- In the elbow and hand, the arm is practically immobilized.
Exercise therapy for fracture of the radius is of great importance. We will talk about this later.
Diagnosis and treatment
To establish the presence of a fracture and its type, it is necessary to contact a medical institution (emergency room). If there is comminuted displacement, surgical bone repair may be required. And in other cases, the treatment is standard:
- limb immobilization;
- with open fractures, washing the wound and applying an antiseptic dressing;
- cast gypsum;
- Exercise therapy for a fracture of the radius in a typical place and rehabilitation in the future.
Recovery process
How quickly can one recover from such a fracture? About a month and a half after the plaster is removed, the arm will already function normally. But it is important to understand that you cannot do without a rehabilitation period. A therapeutic massage and physiotherapeutic procedures are required. All this in a complex can improve blood circulation, and muscle atrophy is also reduced. Such results can be achieved when conducting therapeutic exercises. Exercises can begin as early as three days after the plaster is removed from the injured arm.
So, what is exercise therapy for a fracture of the radius?
Water gymnastics
With the help of water exercises, swelling and pain are relieved. There is no load on the hand in water. In order to perform the exercises, you need a basin with water. The limb plunges into it, palm down. It is necessary to perform flexion and extensor movements with the palm of your hand, then the hand sinks to the bottom. There you need to turn the palm first up, then down.
In the event that there was no damage to the elbow joint, palms must rest on the pelvic floor. Then the brushes lower and rise, after which they can make circular movements. With a healthy hand, you can insure a sick limb, clasping in the radius of the radius.
Each exercise is enough to repeat five times twice a day. After a series of such classes, the complex can be expanded. Exercise therapy for a fracture of the radius with and without displacement does not differ much.
Gymnastics at the table
- You need to sit at the table, while the elbows are on its surface. You need a flat bed under the brush. Gymnastics consists in flexion and extension movements of the hands, moving them to the sides, and performing circular rotations.
- The palm should be placed on the table with an edge, then gradually it should be laid, turning outward. First, one finger is laid on the table, then all the others. You need to start with the little finger.
- Next, this exercise is performed - the brush is placed on the edge of the palm. This time you need to unfold it inside, gradually all fingers are laid on the table, starting with the little finger.
- Hands should be placed on the elbows, palms pressed against each other. Then, inclined movements are made to the right and left (towards the wrists).
Exercise therapy for a fracture of the radial bone must be done without fail.
How to flex fingers after a fracture of the radius
It involves the muscles of the forearm. Palms are laid on the table. You need to start moving each finger up. It is necessary to make five repetitions, and then raise the brush five times.
The fingers spread out in different directions, while they should not be torn off the surface. Then the palm is turned over with the back side, while the brush is compressed into a fist.
The palm is placed on the edge, the fingers make circular movements from each other (as when sprinkling dishes with salt).
Palm up, fingers imitate playing the keys of a musical instrument. You can hold the pencil with your hand and gradually tear your fingers away from it. If you feel pain during class, you need to help yourself with a healthy hand.
The radius bone has the ability to quickly recover after a fracture. Classes should be regular, take about half an hour. Exercises are performed at a smooth pace, this will help to avoid further injuries. After all, this is still a fracture of the radius of the arm. Exercise therapy is accompanied by rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation after a fracture with and without displacement
The more faithfully the patient performs gymnastics, the better the result. Before the gymnastics, the arm should already be bent and unbent. As a result of exercise, blood flow improves, joint nutrition normalizes. Muscles strengthen, become ready for stress and complex movements.
Exercises performed in warm water contribute to the rapid restoration of a damaged limb. Complexes can be different, they need to be selected individually. The first few times the exercises are best performed under the supervision of a doctor, then on their own. With a healthy hand you can help, but only at first.
The first thing to do is the flexion and extension movements. The sick hand is placed on the table, the healthy hand is raised and lowered. They also move it in different directions. After ten repetitions, they move to the fingers.
Fingers rise above the table in turn. If it hurts, a healthy hand helps. Also repeated ten times for each finger.
The palm is on the table, fingers are spread apart and brought back. Repeat ten times. The fingers do not come off the table. You can finger various small objects - balls, cylinders. Finger crawling around the table can also be effective. For this, a table is optional, a wall, a bed are suitable. In this case, you can sit, stand, lie - it does not matter. The main thing is to repeat each exercise at least ten times.
An interesting exercise with a cylinder - a small diameter (4-5 cm), it is clamped in the hand, after which the fingers are straightened alternately, returning to their original position. The entire set of exercises lasts approximately 30 minutes. It is repeated several times a day. The more regular the classes, the shorter the period of rehabilitation and exercise therapy. A fracture of the radial head of the elbow is not a joke.
The benefits of physiotherapy
Thanks to the procedures, the spasm of the muscles is eliminated. Hematoma and edema resolve faster. The process of bone fusion can be accelerated:
- electrical stimulation;
- electrophoresis (novocaine is used to relieve pain), magnetotherapy;
- ultrasound with hydrocortisone or novocaine, analgesic gels;
- UHF
And of course, all this should be accompanied by exercise therapy, after a fracture of the radius with a displacement in particular.
If the operation was performed and there is metal in the limb, then the use of warming physiotherapy is not recommended.
The benefits of massage
With the help of massage the muscles relax, they acquire a normal tone, their nutrition is restored. Special warming gels and ointments are used during the massage, blood circulation improves, the pain goes away. It must be done extremely carefully, since rather unpleasant sensations are possible.
First of all, knead the forearm, then proceed to the brush. An average of about 10 sessions. With severe discomfort, and even more pain it is better to consult a doctor.
Nutrition and rehabilitation after a fracture of the radial bone
LFK business is not limited. Bones need a lot of nutrients. The diet must include foods with calcium, magnesium, collagen. Also, taking vitamin complexes will not be superfluous. This will strengthen the immune system and support the body during the recovery phase. Fermented milk products are rich in calcium, vegetable soups, mashed potatoes, and cereals contain fiber. Nutrition must be varied.
Conclusion
We examined exercise therapy for a fracture of the radius. The recovery process depends on how correctly and regularly gymnastics was conducted.