Diseases of the musculoskeletal system are always inconvenient, because they almost always disrupt normal activity. Fractures are dangerous, because after them the limb “fails” for quite a long time.
Fracture of the hand is especially dangerous, since with the help of hands a person performs almost 99 percent of all daily work. Because of this, it is extremely important to allow enough time for the recovery of the hand after a fracture.
What activities and exercises are indicated after a fracture and when should they be started?
When to start rehabilitation activities?
The start of the recovery period should be when the cast or bandage is removed.
The severity of the fracture is determined by the extent of the affected area of the bone. If, for example, one of the phalanx bones was broken, sometimes you can limit yourself to applying a bandage to limit the mobility of this finger. If the metacarpal or small bones are involved in the fracturewrist, it is best to apply a cast to completely immobilize the hand. This will also ensure the immobility of parts of the bone, as a result of which a bone callus forms faster.
Exercises to develop the hand after a fracture are best started after it has been radiologically confirmed that the bones have grown together. If you start the exercises earlier, there is a high risk of a false joint at the fracture site, which can lead to loss of limb function.
If you delay with their onset, atrophy of the muscles of the hand may develop, leading to weakness and inferiority.
Exercise
What exercises to develop the hand after a fracture should take place?
First of all, you should start with grasping movements.
The patient is asked to make a fist. Thus, the tone of the flexor muscles increases, due to which part of the lost skills is restored (the patient begins to try to eat or hold objects with the affected hand). As a variant of this exercise, the patient can be given a piece of plasticine in their hands and asked to squeeze and crumple it. This procedure is best repeated daily several times a day.
A set of exercises for developing the hand after a fracture should also include training the extensor muscles. Thus, the flexibility of the brush is restored and the ability to rotate it returns.
Besides this, it is necessary to restore the reactivity of the brush. Perfect for thisexercise with a tennis ball. It is necessary to throw it against the wall and catch it, however, this exercise is prohibited in the initial period after removing the plaster.
exercise therapy
Therapeutic exercise is an integral part of the recovery period. It starts at about the same time as the individual exercises to develop the hand after a fracture.
Therapeutic exercise is aimed at bringing reduced muscle tone in order.
Use swing and rotational exercises. Their main goal is to restore reduced blood flow in the atrophied muscles of the hand, improve their innervation, and increase sensitivity.
Over time, endurance exercises are added to the complex. The patient is allowed to hold non-heavy objects in the hand (i.e., a static load is given). In this way, the flexor muscles are trained, and the strength of the arm is also restored.
What is the difference between personal exercises for developing a hand after a fracture from exercise therapy?
Therapeutic exercise consists of an approved set of exercises and is carried out in sessions. For the entire course of exercise therapy, it is possible to almost completely restore the affected hand.
Massage
For the most complete recovery of the hand after a fracture, exercises alone are not enough. Some massage activities are also used to improve local circulation.
Massage helps to accelerate blood flow through the vessels of atrophied muscles. As a result, the muscles receive the amount of nutrients they need.substances, due to which their fastest recovery occurs.
Use classic massage techniques such as rubbing, chopping, sawing or squeezing. Each of these exercises should be carried out with care, but with due intensity.
Massage is prescribed to patients in parallel with physical therapy, however, both exercise therapy and massage should be done every other day, alternating procedures.
It is better to entrust it to specially trained medical staff, as these people know a certain technique, as a result of which rehabilitation after a bone fracture is faster.
Requirements for exercises and procedures
Given that the muscles are weakened and atrophied, care should be taken with the affected limb.
During the exercise, you need to support the hand with a he althy hand. Thus, at the initial stages, the possibility of her re-injury is excluded.
During the exercise, some pain in the limb is possible, about which the patient must be warned. This phenomenon will be observed for a relatively short time, and over time, as the brush becomes toned, it will disappear.
The development of the hand after a fracture should be carried out smoothly, without sudden movements. This safety technique helps eliminate the risk of re-injury to the limb.
If, when performing actions or instructions from the instructor, the patientfeels heaviness or fatigue in the injured hand, be sure to give him a little break.
The importance of rehabilitation exercises
Unfortunately, many patients do not take their doctor's instructions regarding the period after discharge from the hospital, although this plays a significant role in the recovery process.
When carrying out all the above activities and actions, in 90 percent of cases it is possible to achieve complete rehabilitation and restoration of limb function. Such recommendations must be followed several times a day in order not to allow blood to stagnate in atonic muscles, the degradation of which was caused by a fracture of the hand.
Exercise is best done in the morning, after a little warm-up. This time is recognized as the most suitable for the restoration of the affected limb.
If you neglect the instructions of a rehabilitation doctor, various complications may develop in the form of contractures of the joints or tendons. The most important thing is to correctly perform the proposed exercises and not skip classes. Only then is a full recovery and return to normal life possible.
