What does first aid for dislocated joints include?

Congenital joint dislocations

Congenital hip dislocation most often occurs in girls and is diagnosed immediately after birth. The cause of the disease is underdevelopment of the femoral head and glenoid cavity. The main symptoms of dislocation include asymmetry of the gluteal folds, limited movement in the hip and slight shortening of the limb. The final diagnosis is made after ultrasound and radiography of the hip joints.

Treatment for a sprained ankle depends on the energy level of the injury. In such cases, after examination, a specialist can assess the degree of damage to the joint and determine the most optimal treatment tactics. This can be either symptomatic drug treatment in simple cases with the possibility of loading, or plaster fixation or, in some cases, surgical restoration of the ligamentous apparatus of the damaged joint.

Diagnostics

After examining and palpating the damaged area, the traumatologist (namely, he deals with such injuries, including congenital dislocations of joints) will refer the patient for an x-ray. After confirming the diagnosis, the doctor can provide full specialized assistance, starting from eliminating the dislocation and ending with the necessary immobilization or fixation, supplemented, if necessary, with medication and restorative treatment. At the end of the immobilization period, a rehabilitation program is prescribed to restore movements and predict the outcome of treatment.

Main signs of dislocation

The joints of the upper extremities are more often affected by dislocations, since they have low anatomical congruence (correspondence of the articular surfaces). In addition, dislocations of those joints that bear the greatest mechanical (hip, knee) or functional (mandibular) load are common. Typical signs:

• pain;
• deformation;
• unnatural position of the limb;
• edema;
• local temperature increase;
• limitation or absence of active and passive mobility.

Hip dislocation in newborns

The main symptoms of the disease will be asymmetry of the gluteal folds, limited mobility of the joint during passive abduction of the hip, a click during various movements in the joint and relative (comparative) shortening of the limb (in the case of unilateral pathology). A dislocated hip joint, like a dislocated finger, can be diagnosed by a highly specialized specialist after a clinical examination with the appointment of instrumental studies.

Treatment of hip dislocation in newborns is conservative. Therapy includes exercise therapy, massage, wide swaddling and the use of a fixation device. If all recommendations are followed, the head of the femur is reduced independently in most cases; the success of treatment is determined by the timing of detection of the pathology and the severity of the latter.

Treatment of shoulder dislocation

Treatment of any dislocation first of all involves realigning the joint and returning it to its usual physiological position. It is recommended to carry out the procedure as soon as possible under general anesthesia (especially in children) and in some cases under local anesthesia (dislocations of the hand or foot). The decision in this case is made by the doctor, taking into account the patient’s condition and the degree of damage. Surgery for habitual dislocation of the shoulder or knee joint is performed by an orthopedic traumatologist or a surgeon specializing in sports injuries.

In case of untimely treatment, there is a possibility of developing contracture. With long-standing dislocations (more than 3 weeks), the function of the joint may be irreversibly lost.

Types of joint dislocations

Dislocation of the shoulder joint. Depending on which direction the head of the humerus is displaced, the damage may be inferior, posterior, or anterior. The latter occurs in 98% of cases. Pain with any attempt to move the joint, swelling, decreased joint mobility, impaired sensitivity and blood supply are the main symptoms of this condition. Shoulder dislocation should only be treated by a specialist.

The causes of a dislocated knee joint can be a strong blow, a fall from a height, congenital anomalies, and a sharp contraction of the thigh muscle during fast walking. Symptoms of such damage will include pain, swelling, numbness of the limb, changes in the shape of the knee, a specific position of the leg and the inability to move. Since the injury is considered serious, first aid, treatment and rehabilitation after a dislocated knee joint should be supervised by a doctor.

Dislocation of the hip joint can be anterior or posterior. The front one may appear as a result of a fall from a height. The cause of the rear is most often a road traffic injury. Symptoms of injury include severe pain, forced positioning of the limb, changes in joint shape, and slight shortening of the affected limb. Dislocation of the hip joint in newborns will be discussed below.

Special classification

The sequence for diagnosing a deviation involves the need to assign a certain status to the dislocation according to several classifications. All such injuries can be sorted according to:

• origin;
• degree of displacement;
• skin condition;
• statute of limitations.

There is no place for pre-medical support for newborns who have become victims of intrauterine anomalies. Instead, help lies in long-term therapy, which is beneficial in the early stages in most situations.

Also, emergency medical care will be useless if the visit was due to pathological displacement, which is caused by a chronic illness. It is most effective to use a summary of pre-medical rules for cases of traumatic injury to a leg or other part of the body.

Orthopedics has its own classification according to the degree of displacement of the bone structure:

• full;
• incomplete.

The second version is also called subluxation, since it involves the divergence of the ends of the joints not completely. Some contact area still remains. At the full stage, the articular ends of the arm diverge completely.

A quick examination of the problem area allows you to make an assessment of the skin. If signs of destabilization include a violation of tissue integrity, then this indicates an open type of dislocation. When the analogue is closed, the top layer remains unharmed.

But you should not assume that the second subtype of injury is safer. In fact, it poses a serious threat as it sometimes involves ruptured blood vessels. And with bleeding without an open wound surface, the average person usually cannot cope on his own.

The statute of limitations also affects the severity of the disease, so it was included in a separate classification. Fresh injuries cover a time interval of up to three days. Stale – from three days to two weeks. Outdated – terms higher than indicated. The latter option is especially characteristic of lesions of the shoulder joint.

But, regardless of what degree the lesion was assigned, it must be certified according to the latest special classification, which covers the division into the following groups:

• paralytic;
• complicated;
• habitual;
• irreducible.

The first point covers muscle paralysis that outweighs the antagonist muscles in strength.

A correctly diagnosed complicated variant helps in further development of therapy, as it allows one to identify complications such as nerve lesions and disorders of the main blood vessels. In the most dangerous scenario, symptoms indicate intra-articular or periarticular fractures.

As for the shoulder, he most often has to deal with the usual class. Its peculiarity lies in periodically repeated dislocation at the same point. This is often caused by anatomical changes due to a number of pathologies, as well as muscle weakness or problems with ligaments.

The irreducible analogue covers old injuries, which are almost always accompanied by penetration of tissue between the articular surfaces of the bone ends.

How to identify characteristic symptoms?

To understand the signs of a possible dislocation, people use tables, physiological diagrams, and even a thematic presentation helps. The latter may include information about adjacent injuries, which occurs with burns and frostbite.

Despite the fact that all types of dislocations have their own characteristics, they can still be combined into a general list. With such injuries, a person complains of:

• sharp pain with increasing intensity when trying to make a movement;
• redness of the skin;
• swelling;
• local temperature, which means an increase in temperature in the affected area;
• articular deformation, covering a change not only in shape, but also in size;
• change in the length of the affected limb, which is more suitable for an ankle injury;
• the articular end, which is palpated in the “wrong place”.

Occasionally, such foot or hand problems are additionally accompanied by a general increase in temperature and chills. Cases of bruising are common. And when the nerve endings are compressed, the victim complains of partial or complete loss of sensitivity.

Reasons for destabilization

In order for assistance to have an almost immediate effect, it is extremely important to understand the original source of the damage that occurred.

In short, a joint is a connection between bones that allows the mobility of a limb. It is formed by the articular ends of both bones, which are covered with a cartilaginous layer. Cartilage is designed to soften and at the same time absorb friction during any movement. If the pathology concerns the knee joints, then the presence of an additional cartilage pad, which is called the meniscus, adds complexity.

Content:

• Reasons for destabilization
• Special classification
• How to identify characteristic symptoms?
• Differences between a fracture and a dislocation
• Basics of first aid

All articular elements of the bone structure are hidden in the so-called articular capsule, which contains a special fluid inside. Additionally, ligaments are attached to the joint, which are designed to fix it securely. The entire mechanism is a fairly strong natural structure, but under a number of circumstances even it fails.

As with bruises, destabilization of joint activity is often caused by various mechanical damage, external pressure, or classic injuries received during physical activity.

But if in case of fractures you can immediately pay attention to the damage due to a number of specific alarming signs, then with a dislocation the situation is more complicated. This is explained by the fact that in clinical practice there are a number of diseases that contribute to the onset of such a condition. Ailments undermine health methodically and slowly, which is why it is not always possible to recognize something wrong instantly, as with sprains.

Among the uniaxial diseases that provoke such a serious deviation from the physiological norm are:

• dysplasia;
• arthritis;
• tuberculosis;
• oncological neoplasms of a benign or malignant nature;
• osteomyelitis.

All of the above applies to the camp of acquired injuries, when medical care is provided on the spot depending on the circumstances. But sometimes dislocations are congenital. This occurs when the intrauterine development of the fetus is abnormal. After birth, the baby is immediately diagnosed with dysplasia. Most often in children

The disease targets the hip area or knee area.

Symptoms of a dislocated joint

A joint dislocation is a displacement of the articular surface of the bones, accompanied by damage to the capsular-ligamentous apparatus.
Dislocation occurs, as a rule, with damage to the soft tissues of the joint. In this case, ligaments with blood vessels, the capsule, and the tendons of adjacent muscles may tear. Damage leads to serious impairment of the functionality of a single joint or the entire limb. It should be noted that correct and timely provision of first aid for joint dislocations is of great importance for the full restoration of function. Types of dislocations:

• by degree of displacement (complete and incomplete dislocation);
• by origin (congenital and acquired);
• open dislocations with the formation of a wound;
• closed without tearing the tissue and skin over the joint.

Read on to learn more about the symptoms of a dislocated joint.