Fractures of fingers and other bones of the body have been and will be present in life. How to behave after a fracture, every person should know. This can make life easier for the victim and help the loved one.
Finger Anatomy
All fingers, except for the thumb, consist of three bones. The thumb has two bony phalanges:
- main;
- nail.
There is another bone on the other fingers - the middle one. The nail phalanges on the hands and feet differ both externally and in the internal bone structure. First of all, they differ in length and thickness. On the upper extremities, the bones of the nail phalanx are usually longer and narrower than on the lower ones. There is one more difference. The nail phalanx of the thumb has the thickest and shortest bone.
Fractured fingers
Fractures are called closed and open. If we touch on the statistics, it becomes clear that closed injuries occur more often than open ones. A fracture of an open nature is considered to be such a situation when a bone is visible from the wound with the naked eye. The closed type is the opposite. The fracture can be unilateral or multilateral,with offset and without offset. Offset can be of different types:
- angular;
- side of finger;
- according to finger length;
- by rotation.
The thumb holds a special place in trauma medicine. Most often, it is he who suffers from fractures, despite the fact that it consists of only two phalangeal 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, resulting in fragmentation of the bone of varying severity. Without a timely visit to the doctor and receiving recommendations, complications may develop.
A fracture can be confused with a dislocation. The first sign of a broken bone will be a sharp pain, and you won't be able to move your finger. The second sign is the appearance of edema - the sore spot swells very strongly. A clearly irregular shape of the bone speaks directly of a displaced injury.
Often, a fracture of the nail phalanx of the finger is confused with a bruise, when not the bone, but the skin tissue is damaged.
- When a fracture occurs, bone damage is inevitable. Pain and swelling are quite pronounced.
- The bruised place does not bother me so much, but without interruptions. The tumor in this case is either small or does not appear at all.
The doctor at the reception 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 for an x-ray, which is performed on both sides. The picture will show the fracture itself and, if any, displacements - fragmentation. After receiving the picture, the doctor will prescribe further treatment.
But there are severe cases in which the picture does not become clear even with a picture. In such situations, computed tomography helps. With the help of modern diagnostics, a fracture and torn ligaments can be seen.
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 provided with initial assistance. The finger is securely fixed so that there are no complications and displacements. If the fracture is open, you should immediately wash the wound, then treat it with any disinfectant, and then bandage the injury site. The procedure is necessary to timely prevent pathogenic bacteria and other microorganisms from entering the patient's body.
In order to make the victim feel more comfortable, you can eliminate the pain with a medicine - a pill or an injection. In any case, the discomfort should subside if the finger is properly fixed.
How to treat a fracture
Treatment of a fracture is primarily aimed at reducing swelling and pain. The injured finger is firmly fixed with the help of special orthopedic fixators. An orthosis has proven itself well - a special medical device that forces the bone to remain in one position. It helps speed recovery and reduce pain.
The orthosis of our time is made of metal,medical tissue and plates. It is convenient in that, if necessary, the device can be easily removed. That is why this device is loved by doctors and patients more than gypsum.
When installing an orthosis, you need to consider the size of your finger. Proper selection of the device will provide the patient with a sufficient feeling of comfort.
For a speedy recovery, branded fixators are recommended, since it is very easy to run into a fake. As a result, recovery may be delayed for a long time.
Recovery period
The recovery time depends on the type of fracture of the nail phalanx. If this is a closed option that does not have displacements, full recovery will occur 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 may take from one and a half to two months.
Child fracture
In childhood, fractures are not uncommon, as the bones are not yet strong enough. But a 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. It is thanks to this feature that children's fractures heal quickly.
Fractured fingers of the elderly
The most unpleasant fracture of any bone in our body happens precisely in old age. With the maturation of potassium in the humanthe body becomes much smaller, and it is he who is responsible for the strength of the bone material. In addition, many elderly people experience osteoporosis, when calcium does not stay in the bones for a long time.
Additional medicines are recommended to compensate for micronutrient deficiencies. If there is not enough calcium in the body, the bones begin to break even with minor blows. The recovery time after injury in the elderly is much longer than in young people.
Time for finger recovery
The process of treating limbs 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, you can begin measures to restore the he alth of the limb.
The doctor in some cases prescribes heating, which you can do yourself with the help of warm s alt baths. These baths help relieve pain. In addition, it is recommended to attend a special massage. During the healing of the bone cover, you can take additional calcium.
Ways to restore the capacity of fingers
After the final healing of the injured limb, therapeutic exercises are traditionally prescribed. During the recovery period, the doctor must select a set of necessary exercises specifically for the patient, taking into account the history and contraindications. Many hospitals have gyms with a physical therapy trainer, but you can also do it yourself at home.
Possible complicationsafter fracture
Despite the fact that the doctor gives good advice on the future of the patient's life, many people neglect the recommendations for temporary lifestyle changes. Failure to appear in a he alth institution, untimely or interrupted treatment can lead to unpleasant consequences:
- Osteomyelitis may begin - inflammation of the bone marrow. With this disease, pus is released from the wound, and the bones are gradually destroyed. This disease cannot be cured. The doctor usually decides to amputate.
- Incorrect bone fusion.
- Ankylosis is a disease in which the affected bone stops moving.
- Incorrect finger crease.
Fractured toes
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 contact the surgeon, as untimely or incorrect therapy can lead to complications while walking or running.
Fractured toe can occur when a heavy hit on it, 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 ones. During an injury, as well as on the hands, there is severe pain. 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, as the finger changes shape. It happens that a crunch is heard when moving.
Fracture toe is not so palpableas on the arm, so it is not immediately possible to understand that the bone is broken. Often, victims do not even think about going to the doctor. In case of fractures without displacement, the fingers are fixed with a bandage, and in case of displacement, a splint is applied to the foot. For oblique injuries, the Ilizarov apparatus is used.
A fracture of the nail phalanx of the thumb may require surgery. In this case, plaster must be applied. The recovery time 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.
