What to do if a fracture occurs? Timely treatment

Prevention and first aid for fractures

The term “fracture” usually refers to a bone injury in which its integrity is partially or completely disrupted. The fracture can be complete or partial, open or closed.

This serious injury requires mandatory and urgent medical attention.

Why do bones break?

Fractures most often occur due to a fall or blow, but some diseases can weaken the bones and cause them to break.

In addition, small cracks in the bone, called stress fractures, can occur from overuse.

The most common causes of fractures:

- blows; - unnatural body movements; - excessive physical activity; - falls; — accidents; — osteoporosis; - tumors of the bone and adjacent tissues.

Symptoms of a fracture:

- unnatural, deformed appearance of the limb; - swelling, large hematoma or bleeding; - severe pain in the injured limb; - numbness or tingling in the tissues of the injured limb; - limited mobility or complete loss of mobility.

First aid for fractures:

1. Stay calm. A broken bone requires urgent medical attention, so immediately take the victim to a medical facility or call an ambulance.

2. Do not move the victim, do not bend the injured limb or pull on it! Do not attempt to straighten a broken limb if the fracture is open.

3. Try to immobilize the injured limb. If the fracture is closed and you know how to apply a splint, do it. If you do not have knowledge of first aid, do not take any action with a broken limb.

4. If the fracture has caused an open wound, cover it with a clean bandage to stop the bleeding, but do not attempt to clean it or treat it with anything.

How are fractures treated?

Attention! A fracture cannot be cured at home: it can lead to serious complications, including death. An X-ray examination is required to assess the severity of the fracture and order the examination.

Depending on the complexity of the fracture, surgical treatment or fixation of the broken limb with a splint or plaster may be prescribed. The victim may also need to be hospitalized.

How long does the treatment last?

Simple, uncomplicated fractures usually heal within four to six weeks. Some require treatment for several months, depending on the complexity of the injury and the presence of complications.

The pain usually goes away before the bones heal. However, while the bone is being restored, the muscles can seriously atrophy, and the tendons and ligaments can lose their elasticity.

Rehabilitation after fractures takes some time and includes exercises to develop flexibility, balance, and strengthen muscles and increase their mass.

To avoid repeated injuries, serious physical activity is possible only after complete restoration of the function of the injured limb.

The most important

A fracture occurs due to injury or disease that breaks the bone. The first signs of a fracture are pain and deformation of the limb.

Remember that fractures cannot be treated at home. Be sure to call an ambulance and, until it arrives, provide rest to the injured area of ​​the body.

Arm fracture - general information

Damage of this type is directly related to bone deformation, which can occur in any part of the upper limb, from the shoulder to the flanks of the fingers. According to medical statistics, the most commonly fractured bones are the third radius, the wrist, the neck of the humerus, and the fingers.

The reason for the violation of the integrity of the bone can be a fall, a blow, or a strong mechanical load (for example, some heavy object falls on the hand). It makes perfect sense that as a person ages, bones become brittle and the risk of a fracture increases significantly. There are a number of diseases that lead to a decrease in bone strength, namely:

• osteoporosis;
• cyst;
• osteomyelitis;
• malignant and benign tumors.

Fracture treatment

In a hospital or other medical institution, an x-ray is taken, with the help of which the diagnosis, location, nature of the damage and the direction of displacement of bone fragments are clarified.

Then the doctor sets the bone fragments (repositions them). This is done only after pain relief. If the fracture is not clearly visible, an incision may be made in the patient's skin. The injury site is secured with plaster or other medical device.

In case of severe injuries, surgical treatment of the fracture is performed; bone fragments are secured using plates, nails and screws. The fracture site is then fixed (immobilized) to ensure proper fusion of the bones.

In some cases, bone traction is required. In this case, a steel pin is attached to the bone below the site of injury, and a weight is attached to the two ends of the pin.

It should be noted that the rate of bone healing depends on the patient’s age, type of fracture, degree of bone mineralization and the presence of concomitant diseases.

Currently, modern devices such as the Ilizarov apparatus and orthosis .

1 Treatment of fractures

2 Treatment of fractures

3 Treatment of fractures

Treatment of fractures using the Ilizarov apparatus

The Ilizarov apparatus is used to reliably connect bone fragments in open and comminuted complex fractures. The spokes passing through the bones of the damaged limbs are attached to rings, which are secured with special transition elements. If necessary, this allows you to compress or stretch certain areas of the bone.

Using this design, you can not only fix a fracture, but also influence the rate of bone fusion. In addition, the Ilizarov apparatus allows you to move with a broken leg.

The process of installing and removing the Ilizarov apparatus

Installation of the device is carried out under local or general anesthesia. Two wires are passed over the fracture through parts of the bones perpendicular to each other. And the ends of the spokes are secured to the bone using clamps. The entire time the design is worn, it is necessary to properly care for it and wipe the knitting needles with a disinfectant solution.

Removal of the Ilizarov apparatus, as a rule, is carried out in the same clinic where the installation took place, or any other medical institution in which the corresponding traumatologist works. Removal of the Ilizarov apparatus is carried out using anesthesia.

Treatment of joint and bone diseases using an orthosis

An orthosis includes several types of orthopedic devices that are used to treat joints. These can be corsets, bandages, orthopedic shoes, as well as orthopedic insoles.

Orthoses can be used in the following cases:

• fixation and unloading of the spine and joints;
• restoration of musculoskeletal function after various injuries (used to treat fractures, dislocations, sprains and bruises);
• correction of deformities of the musculoskeletal system (kyphosis, scoliosis);
• pain relief from arthritis, arthrosis, osteochondrosis, etc.;
• protection of the spine and joints during increased physical activity.

But most often, an orthosis comes to the rescue in cases where it is necessary to fix a damaged joint.

Types of orthoses

According to their purpose, orthoses can be divided into 3 large groups:

• orthoses for the joints of the lower extremities (ankle orthosis, knee orthosis, hip joint device, orthopedic shoes and insoles);
• orthoses for the joints of the upper extremities (shoulder brace (scarf or orthosis), wrist orthosis, finger braces and elbow pads);
• orthosis for the spine (postpartum and prenatal bandages, collar splints, corsets).

Orthoses come in soft , rigid , semi-rigid and splint types . Most often, the degree of rigidity determines its purpose. For example, a soft ankle orthosis (or knee orthosis) resembles a bandage that is used to prevent joint diseases.

The rigid device is somewhat similar to plaster; it is a rather complex structure made of plastic and metal inserts. Prescribed for injuries, fractures, after surgery, for dislocations, when it is necessary to immobilize the joint.

The splint is used to restore an arm or leg after surgery or injury. The splint differs from an orthosis in that it has a different design, in which there are no hinges.

1 Treatment of fractures

2 Treatment of fractures

3 Treatment of fractures

Symptoms

In some cases, a fracture of the arm can be diagnosed after a visual examination (the joint is too loose, the bone sticks out or is significantly bent in the direction opposite to the movement, a crunching sound is heard when moving). An open fracture is characterized by bleeding, damage to the skin and visibility of the bone.

The closed type of injury can be without displacement (the position of the bone remains normal). This situation requires a qualified examination in order to accurately determine the nature of the injury and not confuse it with a bruise or dislocation. Other symptoms:

• sharp and sharp pain sensations transmitted to other parts of the body;
• swelling of large diameter;
• blue skin;
• the arm may become shorter;
• a feeling of cold a little further from the site of injury;
• low mobility or its complete absence.

The diagnosis is confirmed after an x-ray.

How to treat the victim

The patient is delivered in a half-sitting, half-lying state, not being left alone for a minute. When applying a splint, the limb must be given a natural physiological position. But it is absolutely forbidden to set joints or create bone fragments on your own, as this is fraught with serious complications. Such unskilled actions can lead to damage to nerves and blood vessels, and then a routine consultation with a neurologist will no longer be able to correct the situation, which can lead to increased traumatic shock and death.

If a person has broken pelvic bones or spine, it is strictly forbidden to move him until doctors arrive. The only thing that is allowed is, with the participation of three assistants, to carefully transfer it to a hard surface, such as a door leaf, table top or board flooring. During transportation, the victim must maintain his original position.

Dislocation

A dislocation is a displacement of bones in joints. Most often it is accompanied by damage or even rupture of the joint capsule. The most common dislocations of the shoulder, elbow, and ankle joints.

Characteristic signs: in addition to pain and swelling, characteristic signs of a dislocation are abnormal movements of the joint, displacement of the bones that make up the joint, and a change in its normal shape.

What is dangerous: if a fresh dislocation is not corrected soon after the injury, an intractable old dislocation develops, which in the future can only be corrected on the operating table.

What to do: you absolutely cannot correct a dislocation yourself, otherwise you may end up with a fracture in addition to the dislocation! The most that can be done before visiting a doctor is to “fix” the injured limb, as with a fracture, give the victim a painkiller and take him to the doctor as quickly as possible.

Where to go: to the nearest emergency room.

By the way

In case of an open fracture, it is important to stop the bleeding promptly and competently by applying a tight pressure bandage to the wound, but without interfering with blood circulation. If the skin of the injured limb turns blue or numb, you can loosen the bandage. You can also apply pressure to the wound with your hand.

First aid

Closed type of fracture

Such injuries, no matter what classification they are, require specific actions to be performed one by one. From the very beginning, it is necessary to ensure reliable immobilization, that is, to provide complete rest to the limb and prevent any of its movements by fixing it. After this, you need to give the victim oral painkillers (analgin, ketanov, ketorolac), and upon the arrival of the ambulance team, the patient will be given intramuscular morphine. If signs of painful shock are noticeable, give the patient several tablets of valerian or Tazepam, as well as Valocordin.

Open type

If there is damage to the skin or the base of the bone is visible, then the first step is to stop the bleeding. This will require hydrogen peroxide, or in extreme cases, rinsing with clean water. Such actions will allow you to disinfect the wound and avoid the inflammatory process. The contours of the wound can be treated with iodine, alcohol-containing liquids or brilliant green. Severe blood loss is stopped by applying a tourniquet (for no more than 15 minutes).

Pre-medical measures for a shoulder fracture

The type of injury in question requires special fixation - the Cramer method. Place a rolled cloth under your armpit and secure it with a bandage. The patient should then bend his arm (in front of him) to form a 90-degree angle. Afterwards, the damaged limb is tightly wrapped in a bandage (around the sternum and healthy armpit). The hand of the affected arm is suspended by the neck using a bandage.

If there is no special tire, use boards of the appropriate size. They need to be securely fixed in the area of ​​the shoulder and forearm. During transportation, the victim must maintain a sitting position.