The clavicle is a tubular, S-shaped paired bone that connects the upper limb and the scapula. It is located above the first rib and has a sternoclavicular joint. This bone strengthens the shoulder region and keeps the scapula in position. It’s easy to get a collarbone fracture, it’s enough to fall on your shoulder or arm. This happens with other injuries, for example, a newborn child can break the collarbone, passing through the birth canal of the mother, and athletes can be injured during extreme sports. Such fractures are frequent in epileptics during an attack or in people who have had a car accident. The tubular bone can break both with a direct impact and with strong pressure on the chest.
Clavicle fracture can be without displacement, with displacement and with the presence of fragments. This is very dangerous, as they can damage blood vessels and nerve fibers with sharp edges. There are also fractures open and closed. In severe cases, patients are prescribed a surgical operation, where the clavicle is fixed with plates and screws. In this case, the plaster cast is not applied.
In the article, we will consider how the recovery period of a clavicle fracture goes with a shift, how long rehabilitation takes, when it needs to be started, and what are the benefits of exercise therapy exercises and physiotherapy for a speedy recovery. First, we’ll tell you how to understand that you have a bone problem, what you need to do first of all so as not to harm yourself or your loved one before going to the doctor.
The main symptoms of a fracture
Visually determine the presence of a fracture of this bone is possible after an injury by the following symptoms:
- the shoulder shifts significantly forward and down;
- when touching the hand there is a sharp pain;
- in the area of the clavicle, the tissues swell, a hematoma may appear;
- you can not raise your hand high due to severe pain;
- sometimes fingers move poorly from the side of the shoulder;
- if the fracture turned out to be displaced, then you can see a slight unevenness of the bone (if you want to check the integrity of the bone with your hand, do not press hard in any case, because if fragments or sharp edges are present, then blood vessels or nerves can be damaged).
If you find such signs in yourself or your loved ones, then you need to correctly fix the hand and go immediately to the doctor.
Limb immobilization
It is very important to provide first aid first aid so that the patient can be taken to the hospital without complications. You need to act quickly and competently, especially if the fracture with displacement is fragments. Proper action will protect the victim from damage to blood vessels, lungs, skin and nerve fibers.
A small roller is placed under the axillary region, for example, a terry towel folded into a tube. The hand must be bent at the elbow and fixed with a bandage to the body from the shoulder to the wrist. A bandage is put on the neck and a hand is inserted there. The latter should be parallel to the floor.
If the incident happened away from home, then you can use a T-shirt or shirt, bending its edges up. The kerchief dressing should have a wide base so that the arm fully rests and does not move. Only then will the muscles be relaxed, and fragments of bone will put less pressure on adjacent tissues, and the pain, if properly fixed, will significantly decrease. Cold should be put in place of the fracture to reduce swelling.
What is strictly prohibited
If you correctly fix the collarbone fracture with an offset, the recovery period will be much faster and easier. Therefore, be sure to read what you can not do in any case:
- adjust the bone yourself;
- pull by the hand;
- straighten a damaged limb;
- to fix the hand with a thin bandage or scarf (the bandage should be in the shape of a scarf with a wide base);
- transport standing or lying down (you only need to put the person and lean back slightly).
Knowing the rules of first aid, you can avoid undesirable consequences and shorten the recovery period.
Rehabilitation after clavicle fracture
After visiting the surgeon, the patient with a fracture will be provided with the necessary assistance. This can be fixation with a plaster cast, surgical intervention in the presence of fragments. After a long stay of the hand in a state of immobilization, rehabilitation is necessary. After a fracture of the clavicle, you need to follow the doctor’s advice and do special exercises to restore the motor function of the arm, massages and physiotherapy, warm baths with sea salt, swim, eat properly, so that the process goes as quickly as possible. Consider all types of recovery actions in more detail.
How to eat for a quick recovery
A large amount of calcium is spent to fuse the bones of the skeleton, so during the recovery period after a fracture of the clavicle, you need to use more products containing it.
First of all, these are dairy products - milk, cottage cheese, yoghurts, kefir or ryazhenka, feta cheese or cheeses. A lot of calcium is found in bran bread, fish and meat, it is useful to eat cartilage and jelly. In such cases, vegetables are recommended - beans, soy, cabbage, greens. Do not deny yourself the sweet berries - raspberries, currants, rose hips, especially if you make jelly from them. It will help replenish the reserves of persimmons and nuts, sesame seeds, dried apricots and raisins.
This set of products contains not only calcium, but also vitamin D and silicon, which will contribute to its better absorption.
It is forbidden to drink alcohol, strong coffee and tea, drink soda during the rehabilitation period of a clavicle fracture after surgery. Do not abuse spicy, smoked and pickled foods, as well as chocolate.
Massage
Massage movements of the hands in the fracture area will help restore the sensitivity of the skin, warm up the muscles of the shoulder, increase blood supply to the sore spot. If gypsum is applied, then massage is carried out only in the area of the shoulder blade and shoulder. It should be done very carefully, with light, stroking skin movements. The impact is not on the collarbone itself, but on the tissue surrounding it. This has a positive effect on the entire limb.
Recovery after a fracture of the clavicle with a shift is carried out only after removal of the plaster cast. Do massage gradually using creams or oils. It is best to use the services of a professional, since you need not only to press and rub the right places on the body, but also to understand the force of pressure.
Physiotherapy
The recovery period for a clavicle fracture with a shift will be much faster if physiotherapy is given to the patient a week after fixation with gypsum or surgery. The doctor may prescribe the following procedures:
- magnetic therapy - a magnetic field is created that helps to strengthen the human immunity, restores body cells, affects blood circulation;
- UHF - ultra-high-frequency therapy, the heat of radiation penetrates even through the bandage and enhances blood circulation in the affected area;
- electrophoresis - for severe pain, prescribe procedures with novocaine;
- phonophoresis - a medicine in the form of a gel is applied to the damaged area and ultrasound helps him penetrate deeper into the tissue;
- UV - therapy - ultraviolet radiation is used to restore tissues, the body additionally receives vitamin D, metabolic processes are accelerated.
After removing the bandage, the patient can be prescribed paraffin baths or mud therapy. Hydrotherapy also works well. All these procedures contribute to better blood circulation and faster rehabilitation after a collarbone fracture. After removing the gypsum, you can begin to do therapeutic exercises, which will accelerate the return of the usual motor activity of the arm and shoulder.
Rehabilitation periods after bandage removal
Due to the fact that the muscles were immobilized for a long time, they partially atrophy. Only after removing the cast and consulting with your doctor can you start the exercises of therapeutic exercises. The course during the recovery period after a fracture of the clavicle with a shift lasts from 3 to 7 weeks.
- At first, the exercises are passive in nature - before removing the gypsum, you can only rub the hand and the area of the shoulder blade. In no case should you raise your hand in the elbow joint. Exercises are done with fingers and circular movements of the brush. The movements should be smooth, without jerking and large amplitudes.
- When bone marrow is already growing around the fracture, you can use gymnastic sticks or a ball. It is useful to start gymnastics after removing the cast in the pool. If a surgical operation has taken place, then you can do the exercises only after removing the stitches, otherwise they may go apart.
- Additional power loads are added using dumbbells, exercise machines or expanders.
A set of exercises with a bandage
Exercises for rehabilitation after a fracture of the clavicle begin as early as wearing the plaster cast and are designed to work on the fingers of a damaged arm.
- Flexion and extension of the fingers into a fist.
- Same squeeze, only with thumb work. The first time he should be inside the fist, the next - protruding to the side.
- Touch the pads of all fingers alternately with the big one.
- Do snaps.
- Bend all fingers inward, as if showing claws.
- Make rotational movements with both the whole brush and each finger individually in one and the other direction.
- Raise and lower palm up and down.
- Same thing, just right and left.
Gentle exercise
After a fracture of the clavicle with a shift, the recovery period begins with simple exercises that can be done immediately after removing the bandage.
- The brushes are placed on the shoulders and, in turn, raise the arms bent at the elbows up.
- The starting position is the same. Perform rotational movements.
- I. p. - similar. Elbows back, straightening shoulders.
- Hands should be extended forward and raised up and down, gradually increasing the amplitude of movement.
- Lower your hands down along the body and alternately wave them in different directions.
- "Scissors", that is, straightened arms crossed in one and the other.
This complex needs to be done daily, starting with several repetitions. Gradually, the execution time increases, as does the number of repetitions. As additional gymnastics, you need to make trekking transitions and general strengthening exercises for other parts of the body.
Strength exercises
1. Exercise with the ball:
- throw an object up and catch it with both hands;
- play basketball by throwing the ball into the ring;
- to spread legs while standing shoulder-width apart and, bending over, roll the ball into the “goal” (between the legs);
- throw the ball into the wall and catch it.
2. Stuffed ball exercises:
- throw up and catch;
- raise on outstretched arms above the head;
- the same, only do rotational movements with both hands;
- bend over and roll the ball across the floor.
3. Exercises with dumbbells:
- hands down, then two immediately raise up and return to and. P.;
- alternately raising and lowering arms extended forward;
- and. p. - hands to the sides, perform rotational movements clockwise and vice versa.
The time of rehabilitation after a collarbone fracture with a shift depends on the person’s immunity, his age and the use of additional tools described in the article. With diligent training and the implementation of the doctor's recommendations, recovery will be much faster. These exercises can be done for prevention, strengthening muscle corset. Be healthy!