In working conditions or at home, the most common accident is a broken arm. No one is immune from damage to the bones of the upper limbs, so it is necessary to have a general idea of what symptoms are typical for this type of injury, how diagnosis is made and what modern medicine can offer for a quick recovery.
Anatomical information
Before talking about a broken arm, you need to familiarize yourself with the structure of the limb. It consists of a significant amount of bone elements. The largest parts include: scapula, clavicle, as well as three bones: radius, ulna, humerus. They are all large.
Girdle of the upper limb connected directly to the humerus. It is held by only one ligament. It adjoins the coracoid process of the scapular part. The elbow joint is necessary to connect the humerus and forearm. At the very bottom is a brush. It is supported by the wrist joint. The brush has a lotsmall bones that ensure its mobility.
Possible causes
Fractures of the arm are injuries in which the integrity of the bone is partially or completely broken. Most common injuries:
- forearms;
- brushes;
- shoulder and elbow joints;
- fingers;
- shoulder.
The most common cause of this injury is a fall from a height or from a standing position directly onto an outstretched arm. The integrity of the bones can also be broken as a result of a strong blow to the upper limb. Sometimes even a slight physical impact contributes to injury, if there are associated diseases that led to a weakening of the bone tissue.
In conventional medicine, hand fractures fall into two broad categories. One of them is a traumatic injury, and the other is a pathological one. The integrity of the bone can be broken partially or completely. In the first case, they say that a crack has appeared. In medical practice, there are also marginal fractures, when a small fragment has separated from the joint.
What symptoms are present?
Doctors look for certain signs before diagnosing. The causes and symptoms of a broken arm give a complete picture of possible bone damage. But to understand that this happened, you do not need to have a medical background.
The absolute signs of a fracture are as follows:
- the hand is in an unusualposition;
- appearance of a crunch with slight pressure on the damaged area;
- bone fragments protrude;
- has an open wound with profuse bleeding;
- The mobility of the limb is completely impaired.
When making a diagnosis, relative symptoms are also guided. And they are:
- very strong pain sensations are noted in the damaged area, radiating to areas of the body located nearby;
- the injured area begins to swell, bruises often appear;
- there is a feeling of coldness in the upper limb;
- deformation changes in the hand occur;
- if the nerve fibers are damaged, the joints can be paralyzed.
Fractures of closed and open type
In the first case, when damaged, the bone does not break through the soft tissues. It cannot be seen by visual inspection. A fracture of the arm bone with or without displacement may occur. Much depends on the force of impact on the limb. In this scenario, there are usually no too serious consequences.
More difficult is an open fracture, as not only the joint is damaged, but also the soft tissues surrounding it. Usually in such cases, you can see the bone protruding outward. Such damage is diagnosed without unnecessary difficulties. There is almost always profuse bleeding.
First Aid Rules
The main task in fractures of the arm bone is toproviding a state in which the joint is completely immobilized. This is done by placing a splint directly on the damaged area. Such a design can be made from improvised materials. Various boards, sticks, bars will do.
The elements found must be bandaged to the injured hand in order to achieve immobility. In this position, pain will decrease, and bone fragments will not be able to move.
It happens that a splint causes severe pain. In this case, at least partial immobility of the joint should be ensured by fixing it in the desired position with a regular bandage. Do not apply tremendous force to reposition or straighten the injured part of the arm. This may worsen the patient's condition.
If necessary, the victim can be given any painkiller. It is not worth resorting to any other drugs. You cannot self-medicate. Some drugs can increase bleeding or make the patient feel worse. Better to just wait for the ambulance to arrive.
When fingers are broken, severe swelling usually occurs. It is recommended to remove the rings from the damaged phalanx. As the tumor grows, the blood supply may be cut off. However, excessive force should not be used when removing. There will be no serious negative consequences in a couple of hours.
In case of an open fracture of the arm with displacement and heavy bleeding, it is advisable to tightly rewind the injured area with a sterile bandage. If there is a presence of bright scarlet blood,it is best to apply a rubber band above the damage site. An ordinary cloth bandage will do. Bright scarlet blood usually indicates the presence of arterial bleeding, which poses a threat to human life.
Diagnosis and treatment
The doctor must accurately determine the degree of damage received, so diagnostic tests are immediately prescribed. They are produced using an x-ray machine. In more complex situations, if the damage has touched the nervous tissue, then magnetic resonance therapy or computed tomography can be performed.
Treatment is prescribed individually, with a significant role played by the nature of the injury. In most cases, a cast is applied for a broken arm. While wearing it, you must follow all the prescriptions of the doctor. It is required to provide normal conditions for bone fusion.
Local anesthesia is mandatory to reduce pain. To improve the splicing of parts, preparations containing calcium are used. To restore the motor function of the limb, you need to remove the swelling and regularly engage in light gymnastic exercises that help restore lost opportunities.
If there is an open fracture, surgery is required. It is usually not possible to place the bones in the desired position by applying a cast. Surgical intervention is carried out within a few days after the injury, until the callus has formed.
Development of the limb
Remedial gymnastics after the cast is mandatory. With a fracture of the hand, functionality is significantly reduced. It must be returned as soon as possible. To begin to fully perform all the actions that a person performed before the injury, you need to make some efforts.
Muscles are inactive for a long time, so they weaken significantly. At first, they will have to be strengthened with special exercises.
- Squeezing the palm is the simplest action. You should start with it, giving the hand a gradual load.
- Exercises with plasticine help restore lost motor skills. Over time, finger movements will become more precise. A piece of plasticine must be carefully sorted out with phalanges.
- To improve blood flow, you can perform a very effective exercise. The patient should sit on a chair or some object that will fit in height. In this position, the arms are stretched forward and carefully taken away in different directions. Hands can be clenched into fists or open.
- Restore lost muscle strength will exercise using a tennis ball. The projectile should be thrown into the wall and caught after a rebound with an injured limb. The exercise is great for developing the hand after a fracture. It is recommended to do it for 10 minutes several times a day.
Women to develop brushes can do embroidery or knitting. As for men, light work in the garden is recommended for them.plot. Children can practice drawing after a broken arm. It is possible to develop a limb in other ways. You just need to find a hobby to your liking.
Tonic massage
Even at the stage of wearing a cast, you can carry out useful activities. Massage helps a lot in this regard. It allows you to restore normal blood circulation so that the tissues are filled with the right amount of oxygen. Mechanical action also helps to get rid of edema.
If at the stage of wearing a plaster cast massage manipulations are performed with little intensity, then after its removal, you can proceed to full-fledged procedures. They include kneading and rubbing the injured limb with the fingers.
If desired, the hand after a fracture can be massaged with special applicators and rollers. Medicinal ointments can enhance the warming effect to some extent.
Physiotherapy assistance
After completing the main course of treatment, you can start supporting activities. The role of physiotherapy in accelerating the healing of limb fractures cannot be underestimated.
3-4 days after the cast, certain procedures are scheduled.
- The impact of interference currents on the hand helps to reduce pain and relieve swelling.
- Ultraviolet irradiation is designed to normalize blood flow directly at the site of injury.
- Isotonic tension of muscle fibers allows you to maintain tissue in good shape.
After removing the cast, proceed to other procedures.
- Magnetic therapy to some extent accelerates the process of bone healing, and also makes the metabolism faster.
- Laser exposure makes it possible to reduce inflammation in the damaged area.
- Ultrasound therapy improves the transport of drugs used.
- Electrophoresis involves conducting electrical impulses directly through tissues.
The above procedures are carried out in courses of approximately 5-10 sessions. Together with them, it is recommended to take therapeutic baths and mud wraps. When prescribing, the individual characteristics of the organism are taken into account.
How long is the recovery period?
The duration of rehabilitation and treatment of a broken arm depends on the complexity of the injury and the characteristics of the body of a particular person. For example, at a young age, bone fusion occurs at a faster rate than in older people. The presence of displacement significantly increases the recovery time. Open fractures take longer to heal than closed ones anyway.
Injuries to the shoulder joints heal on average for about three months. With a radial fracture of the arm, it is enough to wait no more than 40-60 days. Injured hands begin to fully function within a month. The scaphoid bones located in the wrist area heal the longest. The term of their treatment and recovery can reach six months.
What negative consequences canbe?
Any person who has received a fracture of the upper limb may encounter certain problems in the process of treatment. Sometimes the bones grow together incorrectly, and this significantly affects the functionality of the hand. There are pains in the joints located in the immediate vicinity. In this case, only an operation that involves opening the damaged area will help.
With open fractures, pathogenic microorganisms can enter the wound, which will lead to the appearance of abscesses. Therefore, safety measures cannot be neglected. It is always necessary to treat wounds with antiseptic compounds. Only sterile bandages should be used for bandaging.
Bone injuries can also lead to fat embolism. Even with a timely operation, blockage of blood vessels directly by subcutaneous fat can occur. The manifestation of such a complication is sometimes confused with traumatic shock, so the problem is exacerbated.
Prevention measures and prognosis
To prevent injuries to the upper extremities, appropriate protective equipment should be used when engaging in sports activities, as well as during hazardous work. Osteoporosis, which is a disease that reduces bone density, should not be allowed to develop.
Regardless of age, everyone should eat a diet with enough protein and calcium. It is necessary to exercise regularly so that the bone skeleton receives a certain load.
As for the forecast, it is quite favorable, sincemany injuries heal fairly quickly. Over time, lost functionality is restored. However, the presence of chronic diseases can slow down the healing process. This applies, for example, to diabetes or osteoporosis. These pathologies can also lead to complications.
General recommendations in conclusion
Regardless of whether the hand is injured after a fracture of the radius, humerus or some other, some rules must be followed. Their violation can lead to an increase in the duration of treatment or the development of complications. They are quite simple, but they should not be neglected. First, you should not remove the plaster yourself. Secondly, you need to keep your hand clean. Thirdly, a soft pillow or something similar should be placed under the upper limb when resting. Finally, it is required to comply with all indications of the attending physician, even if they seem insignificant.
