When losing balance and falling, a person instinctively extends his arms forward to reduce the likelihood of injury. As a result, a dislocation of the hand can occur, which is mostly characterized by damage to the ligaments in the wrist area. In addition to falling, a dislocation of the hand can be obtained under other circumstances. For example, during an excessive load on the arm. This can happen to loaders, athletes, seamstresses, plasterers. In children, dislocation sometimes happens because of negligent parents, when they sharply pull the baby by the hand.
Damage Features
Wrist dislocation can occur in both adults and children. Due to the fact that adults are no longer so active, such injuries occur much less frequently. Children get dislocations of the wrist joint more often. As a result, pain is felt. A tumor also develops in the hand. And this does not always happen due to the increased activity of the child (although this reason is not in last place).
This may be due to an anomaly in the development of the joint, in which the area andrecesses are smaller than expected. Such a genetic anomaly is a predisposing factor to getting dislocations. In this case, parents should keep a close eye on their child to prevent injury. With age, subject to the correct growth and formation of the child, this defect is eliminated.
Symptomatic manifestations
Symptoms of a dislocated hand are as follows:
- A person feels severe pain at the site of injury.
- Tumor in the area of the wrist joint.
- The former mobility of the upper limb disappears.
- The sensitivity of the hand decreases, its numbness develops.
- You can see obvious deformation of the damaged hand.
Hematoma and swelling during dislocation do not appear immediately, it must take time for a person to notice swelling and bruising on the arm. And that doesn't always happen. A significant hematoma is formed if there is a tissue rupture or sprain. It also happens when the joint capsule is damaged.
Definition and classification
According to medical terminology, a dislocation is a violation of the congruence of the articular surfaces of the bones as a result of their displacement. The function of the joint is impaired, the amount of movement in it decreases.
Types of dislocation of the hand can be different depending on the type of displacement, the duration of the injury, the presence of complications, etc.
Depending on the offset type:
- True displacement - happeningcomplete displacement of the bones of the wrist in relation to the articular surface of the radius.
- Perilunar view - dorsal-central displacement of all bones, except for the lunate. Often this dislocation leads to fractures.
- Other types of dislocations.
Dislocations happen by prescription:
- Fresh - less than 3 days old.
- Stale - up to 14 days.
- Long-standing - if a dislocation of the hand lasts more than two weeks, such an injury is difficult to treat.
If we talk about the presence of complications, then there are dislocations:
- Uncomplicated - displacement of the articular surfaces of the hand is not accompanied by fractures, ruptures of ligaments, tendons, etc.
- Complicated - this can damage blood vessels, nerves or soft tissues. Sometimes there are fractures of the intraarticular bones of the wrist.
Dislocations can also be reducible when they are not accompanied by complications and the injury has just occurred. In this case, the reduction of dislocations is carried out without surgical intervention. And irreducible, when the closed method of congruence of the articular surfaces is impossible. In this case, it is necessary to restore the integrity of the wrist joint by an operative method. Most often, irreducible dislocations include chronic and complicated displacements.
Very rarely, doctors fix dislocations of the hand in newborns. Such an injury is classified as a separate type. In this case, parents should urgently seek medical help.
What to do with a dislocated arm
If a dislocation of the hand occurs, the following actions are necessary:
- Don't move your hand at the joint.
- Do not put any load or pressure on the injured joint.
- A cold is applied to the sore spot (where the hand is swollen) for 20 minutes, after that a short break is made and the cold is applied again. Avoid frostbite of fabrics, for this ice should be wrapped in a towel.
Diagnostic measures
A person will not be able to determine on his own whether a bone has been dislocated or is another injury. Only a specialist can make a correct diagnosis.
Initially, the damaged area is palpated, the possibility of movement of the limbs is assessed, thus determining the number of bones and ligaments involved in the dislocation.
After this, the patient is sent for an x-ray. If there is a suspicion of damage to the ligamentous apparatus, it is best to do an MRI as well. This will give a detailed picture of the condition of the soft tissues in the area of the damaged hand.
Principles of treatment
How to treat a dislocation correctly and without consequences? Therapy should be started immediately, only then the risk of complications will be minimized. If you stretch the time, it is possible to shift the joint. This, in turn, will interfere with its normal functioning.
Most often, the disease is eliminated by reducing dislocations, this is done by a competent specialist. This will return the bones to the correct position.
In this case, local or general anesthesia will be done, as this procedure brings severe pain in the hand. After the procedure, a control x-ray is taken to confirm the correctness of the doctor's actions.
Then a plaster cast or orthosis is applied to the hand. This is necessary in order not to move the limb once again during the rehabilitation period. Recovery takes up to 2 weeks.
Physiotherapy activities
To speed up the process of recovery and give the former flexibility and mobility of the joint, it is necessary to undergo a course of physiotherapy. The main physiotherapy activities include:
- massage;
- ultrasonic treatment;
- exercise.
Special exercises
Gradually, during the rehabilitation period, it is necessary to start doing exercises on the arm in order to restore the mobility of the hand. This should be done only after the doctor examines the hand and gives permission to remove the fixing bandage. If severe pain is felt, then all physical effects stop.
- The first exercise is squeezing the ball. It is necessary to take a hard small ball to fit in the palm of your hand, and begin to squeeze it hard for 10 seconds. The exercise is repeated 10 times. A soft ball is best for early recovery.
- The second exercise is wrist curl. A small object is taken, placed on the damaged palm, which is turned up towards the ceiling. The arm bends at the wrist 15 times. Gradually, the weight of the object placed in the hand increases.
- Third exercise - at a late stage of recovery, you can use a rubber tourniquet, which is attached to an immovable object, and, overcoming the rubber force, you need to bend your arm at the wrist joint up to 10 times.
Treatment at home
Can a dislocation be treated (and how) at home? The idea of treatment at home can be fraught with consequences. Only a doctor can assess the fullness of the picture and prescribe the necessary treatment. But there are circumstances when it is impossible to urgently seek medical help. In this case, you need to know how to behave properly in case of a dislocation of the wrist joint.
The initial task is to relieve pain. In this case, you will need anesthetic drugs, but you can use improvised means. You need to mix flour and vinegar, form a cake and attach it to the damaged area. Then wrap this entire "construction" with a cloth.
Well relieve the pain of the hand leaves of wormwood. To restore joint mobility, you should use a recipe based on tansy herb. Its essence is as follows:
- 3 tablespoons of tansy pour 1 glass of boiling water.
- Insist remedy for 1 hour.
- After cooling, the infusion is filtered.
- A compress is made from the resulting liquid and applied to the dislocation site.
According to the same scheme, a compress is prepared from an ordinary cuff.
If the dislocation of the hand has been successfully reduced, it is recommended asfirming procedure to use bryonia. It is applied to the sore spot also in the form of a compress. A mixture of onion and milk has the same effect.
It should be understood that all these recipes can only serve as an auxiliary treatment for dislocation. The doctor prescribes the main therapy.
Possible consequences
If treatment is not started on time, negative consequences may develop, which are manifested by stagnation of the joints. An old injury will be difficult to succumb to all therapeutic measures. Over time, the joint will cease to function normally, and nothing can be done.
Complications can also arise at the time of injury. This is compression of the arteries or veins. In this case, the blood flow is disturbed, the tissues do not receive enough blood supply, which leads to their atrophy. And squeezing the nerve endings leads to a loss of sensitivity in this area.
Due to the complexity of the structure of the joint in the area of the hand, the recovery period after a dislocation may be delayed. The flexibility and mobility of the articular part will not return in one day, it will take time for enhanced training and physiotherapy.
Dislocation of the hand only seems like a harmless problem. In fact, without treatment, it threatens with serious consequences. You should not postpone a visit to the doctor in case of a hand injury, only a specialist will be able to determine the degree of damage and prescribe adequate treatment. The sooner therapy is started, the faster the joint will recover. Moreover, it is necessary to exclude the rupture of softtissues and nerves, because with such an injury, the treatment is completely different.
