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Exercises for the elbow joint after a fracture. How to develop the elbow joint after removing the cast: exercises, massage

Today we offer an article on the topic: "Exercises for the development of the elbow joint after a fracture." We have tried to describe everything clearly and in detail. If you have questions, ask at the end of the article.

With a long stay of the arm in a cast, there is a violation of blood circulation in the area of the elbow joint. Without a sufficient supply of oxygenated blood, the blood supply to the tendons and muscles suffers, and their partial atrophy occurs.

In order to prevent all these pathophysiological phenomena, after removing the immobilizing bandage, the patient is prescribed therapeutic exercises, exercises in water and physiotherapy.

The average recovery time depends on the type and severity of the fracture. On average, it takes 1.5-2 months to restore lost joint functions.

The development of the functions of the elbow joint with the help of physiotherapy exercises is carried out in three main stages.

First stage

Even in the period of immobilization, the patient needs not only to carry out general developmental breathing exercises, but also the initial stages of physiotherapy exercises. As a rule, the first exercises are done the day after the plaster cast is applied. It is necessary to start with those parts of the arm that are free from the plaster cast: the shoulder joint and the joints of the fingers.
There are special exercises that are aimed at combating limb edema, improving blood circulation in it:
Hands should be placed on a pillow behind the head or to the sides (in the abduction position). In this case, the patient should send impulses to the plastered elbow joints and not strain the muscles of the forearm and shoulder too much.
Immediately after the patient has removed the plaster cast, you can carefully perform slow flexion and extension exercises in the elbow joint.

Second phase

It includes exercises that are aimed at developing the functions of the elbow joint.

The starting position of the patient is sitting. The patient's hand is located on the table (in this case, the correct position will be when the edge of the table is in the armpit). Slow flexion and extension in the elbow joint is performed.
The starting position of the patient is sitting. The patient's forearm is located on a high table. It is necessary to take a children's rolling toy in hands and, with a fixed shoulder, the patient gradually “rolls out” the forearm area with the help of a toy.
The starting position of the patient is sitting or standing. The patient should pick up a small ball or gymnastic stick and perform various simple exercises with them to develop the elbow joint. When performing these exercises, the patient should not experience pain.
The initial position of the patient is standing with a slight inclination of the torso forward or in a sitting position. Slowly perform flexion and extension in the elbow joint simultaneously with a healthy arm. To perform this exercise, you need to raise your hands up, take your fingers into the “lock” and lower them behind your head.

These exercises are performed by patients in a bath of warm water. The average duration of such a charge: 10-15 minutes every day.

Third stage

If the patient after an injury has various restrictions on movements in the elbow joint, then physiotherapy procedures are prescribed for him.

From physiotherapy, preference is given to paraffin applications, currents, mud therapy and ozocerite baths. After the course of physiotherapy, the rehabilitation doctor prescribes exercise therapy to the patient.

Exercises that are carried out by the patient in water at a comfortable temperature (for example, in a pool) are very effective.

The patient needs to produce flexion and extension in the elbow joint, supination and pronation.

A characteristic feature of exercising in the pool is the fact that when the patient is in warm water, the hand gradually relaxes, all exercises and movements become much easier and without pain, however, in this case, it is necessary to observe the measure and not overwork the injured hand.

In any period of rehabilitation, the average number of repetitions of exercises is 5 times. Exercises throughout the rehabilitation period must be performed several times a day. With this type of physical therapy, the patient should make sure that the arm does not get tired very much. If the patient felt even a slight pain in the elbow area or his arm quickly got tired during the exercise, then it is necessary to give the arm a little rest.

Many patients with various injuries in the elbow joint area are interested in the question: “Is it possible to perform massage in the elbow area?”

In the first period of rehabilitation, massage is contraindicated. You can massage the upper limb above or below the site of injury to the elbow joint, as well as massage in the back. After the restoration of the volume of lost movements in the joint, the patient is allowed to conduct a very gentle medical massage.

The main purpose of this method of rehabilitation therapy is to restore the volume of lost movements, improve local blood supply. During the massage, traces of periarticular hemorrhages gradually dissolve. Massage in this case helps the patient to prevent atrophy of muscle fibers and strengthen the ligamentous apparatus of the elbow joint.

During the rehabilitation period, various passive movements are contraindicated for the patient.

It is forbidden to perform the transfer of various weights, it is necessary to avoid overworking the muscles. In this case, you can not do static stops and hangs, as well as exercises that cause pain.

With improper physical activity, the patient may experience the following complications:

Swelling in the area of the injured elbow joint;
Pain in the elbow joint, which may radiate to the forearm;
Deposition of calcium salts in the muscles of the upper limb (calcification);
Reflex contraction of the muscles of the hand;
Growth of bone deformities in the area of the elbow joint ("mustache", "spurs").

When to start classes?
How to work out the elbow joint after a fracture
A set of exercise therapy exercises for the development of the elbow: video

Rehabilitation after an elbow fracture is indispensable in the event of this serious injury. As long as the limb remains shackled with plaster, all tendons and joints partially atrophy, so doctors always recommend exercise therapy for the elbow joint after a fracture to their patients. Recovery time can vary from two weeks to three months.

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When to start classes?

You can start exercise therapy after a fracture of the elbow joint almost immediately after applying the cast - a few days after that. It is necessary to perform the simplest exercises for the fingers, but first you need to consult a doctor. Sometimes, with a fracture, specialists prohibit any movement of the injured limb or its hand. In the absence of such contraindications, start exercising daily:

Squeeze-unclench your fingers into a fist.
Spread your fingers.
Alternately perform circular movements with each finger.
Buy regular plasticine and knead it, supporting motor skills.

The basics of exercise therapy for the development of the elbow after removing the cast

Physical education after a fracture of the elbow is required immediately after removing the plaster cast, as the joint will lose its former flexibility. If your arm does not unbend at the elbow after a fracture, and you decide to do gymnastics, follow certain rules:

Perform any movement using a special bandage to limit motor activity. You can read more about how to choose an elbow brace on our website.
Exercise regularly and avoid discomfort or soreness.
Exercises to develop the elbow after a fracture always exclude weight-bearing exercises, whether it be hanging on the bar or lifting weights.
It is recommended to actively bend and unbend the arm at the elbow not earlier than one month after the removal of the cast.

What exercises will help develop the elbow after a fracture

As a rule, the exercise therapy complex during the development of the elbow joint is divided into several periods. The first is started on the second day after the removal of the plaster. Perform breathing exercises (sitting on a chair, take deep breaths and exhales), and also start making finger movements according to the method described at the beginning of the article, if you have not done them. These exercises will prevent swelling and discomfort in the elbow joint, as well as normalize blood circulation.

For the second rehabilitation period, you will need a set of exercises for exercise therapy for a fracture of the elbow joint, which a doctor can choose.

To warm up, place your hand on a soft pillow in front of you and begin to strain and relax all the muscles of the upper limb.
Do alternate flexion and extension of the arm in the elbow lying on the pillow, and then you can proceed to the next exercise exercise after the elbow fracture.
Lie on the floor or on the bed, raise your arm up and gently bend it at the elbow, and then straighten it. Continue this movement gently, working out the joint. If the elbow does not fully extend after a fracture, perform in partial amplitude.
Without changing position, bend the limb at the elbow and begin to perform circular movements with the brush, rotating it in one direction to the limit, and in the other.
Lie on a flat surface with your arms along the body, and then perform the following movement: bend the limbs at the elbow joint, and then straighten them, lifting them up above you.

During the third period of rehabilitation, continue to perform the above exercises and go to the appointment with a doctor who, if necessary, will prescribe physical therapy. Now you know exactly how to develop an elbow after a fracture, returning the hand to its original mobility with full amplitude.

How does development work after an elbow fracture? This question is of interest to many patients. Human life is fraught with many dangers. So, an unsuccessful fall can cause a fracture of the arm: both normal and open with a displacement.

Why is it necessary to develop a joint?

Of course, fractures occur in almost all people, and in most cases the hands suffer, but few people know how the development of the elbow joint is carried out correctly after a fracture and why it is needed.

The fact is that after a fracture, the arm is plastered, and for quite a long time it remains motionless and does not perform any actions that could tone the muscles. Because of this, atrophy of muscles and tendons begins: they become thinner and less resilient, in addition, the size of the tendons decreases, they shorten, which is very harmful, because it is the length of the tendons that ensures the normal functioning of the joint and protection from sprains and other damage.

Based on all of the above, it can be seen that the longer the hand is in plaster, the more flexion function is lost in it. To restore it, you need the development of the elbow joint, which should begin as soon as possible after the removal of the cast.

How is the development of the joint?

All joints and tendons under the cast partially atrophied. But you don’t need to actively begin to perform exercises with weight and a lot of repetitions: such an action will simply damage the joints and tendons.

To begin with, the doctor prescribes the patient therapeutic exercises, physiotherapy or various exercises in the water. Such rehabilitation is carried out, depending on the severity of the fracture, from 3 weeks to 2 months, but thanks to this, all possible mobility in the elbow joint is restored.

The development of the joint is the main part of physiotherapy exercises, it is divided into three time periods.

The first period begins on the second day after the removal of the cast. At this time, special breathing exercises are performed and movements are made with the joints of the shoulders and fingers. Such exercises are aimed at combating possible swelling, discomfort in the joint area, and improving blood circulation.

The exercise is as follows: the hand is placed on a special pillow located behind the head, after which the patient must strain and relax the muscles of the forearm and shoulder. Then you need to perform the second exercise: the arm is simply bent and unbent, but slowly and very carefully so as not to harm the joint.

The second period of rehabilitation is aimed at restoring full mobility of the elbow joint. To do this, perform the following exercise: the patient sits down and places the shoulder of the injured arm on the table so that the edge of the tabletop is near the armpit, and the arm is extended; after which you need to start slowly bending and unbending the arm in the joint, the range of motion should be as wide as possible. You can not make sudden movements, and then it will not be difficult to develop the joint.

The second exercise is called "shoulder rolling". To do this, the patient takes an ordinary children's car with a sick hand, fixes the shoulder in one position, and then simply begins to roll the toy back and forth and from right to left.

The third exercise is the ball game. For example, you can try throwing a basketball into a hoop, but it shouldn't hurt.

The fourth compulsory exercise: the torso leans forward, the arms are bent at the joints, then we pull them to the floor, then we press them to the chest, after which we straighten up and try to lock our fingers behind our backs.

In addition to these exercises, warm baths, preferably taken twice a day, can have a very positive effect on a speedy recovery.

Third period. If up to this time the joint has not been able to fully recover, then special physiotherapeutic agents are used in order to develop it, for example, treatment with a small electric discharge. Warming up and saturating the joint with nutrients will provide mud, paraffin, ozocerite and many others.

In addition, the active phase of training in the water begins: you need to perform supination and propination in the elbow joint, bend and unbend it.

Due to its properties, water relaxes the muscles of the hand, which means that movements are easier and do not overload the joint.

Each exercise should be performed only 5-7 times, but it is advisable to do this training twice a day. The main thing is that your hand does not get tired, and if this happens, then you need to take a break so that it has a good rest, and only then do it.

What is prohibited during the rehabilitation period?

Oddly enough, but a very common mistake of patients is to massage the joint of the injured arm or back immediately after removing the cast. Many believe that this will speed up the metabolism, which in turn will lead to a faster recovery. But it's not. The only thing that can happen is the displacement of the joint, the formation of a process on the bone, or the rupture of muscle fibers.

However, massage is really indicated for patients, but only after the appointment of a doctor who examines the condition of the joint. In this case, the massage will speed up the set of muscle tone and strength, eliminate blood stasis, strengthen the bag-ligamentous apparatus and much more, but you should not rush.

The second big mistake is passive work with the hand after removing the cast. In no case should a patient's hand be completely rehabilitated to perform passive work, for example: carry or hold heavy objects, stand leaning on it, hang and perform any other actions that cause even the slightest pain.

First you need to fully develop the joint. All such actions do not go unnoticed. They accumulate and can cause severe joint pain, swelling, deformity of the place where the bone has just grown together, reflex muscle contractions, etc.

In the next two months, do not forget about your fracture, you need to try to take care of your hand. If you have such a misfortune as a broken arm, then do not forget that the treatment will not end immediately after the cast is removed - this is only half the way.

The second half is rehabilitation time. This is a very important period, since it is on it that it is decided whether you will be able to fully use your hand or with restrictions caused by pain. Which option to choose will depend only on you: on how accurately and efficiently you performed the exercises during the rehabilitation period, how often you will develop the elbow and how strictly you will follow the recommendations of the attending physician.

Most of the exercises for developing the elbow joint after a fracture have been described above. Only a doctor can prescribe additional, more effective methods that will not harm your condition. The recovery process can be cut in half.

Elbow fractures can be displaced or non-displaced. The latter are fixed with a posterior plaster splint, while the arm is bent at an angle of 90 degrees at the elbow joint. With almost all displaced fractures (with the exception of the olecranon fracture), fragments are manually compared and firmly fixed with screws, bone pins or metal pins.

How to develop an elbow after a fracture, the period of its rehabilitation consists of several stages:

on the second day after the application of plaster, along with breathing and general strengthening exercises, various movements in the joints free of plaster begin to be performed;

at the second stage of rehabilitation, the beginning of which will be determined by the doctor, the plaster splint is unbandaged in the area from the forearm to the elbow, and movements for extension and flexion of the elbow joint are added to the basic set of exercises;

after removing the plaster cast, they begin to perform exercises to develop muscles, ligaments, and the elbow joint with an instructor according to a strictly individual program.

How to develop an elbow after a fracture, with the help of physiotherapy exercises.

After the final removal of the plaster cast, you must perform the following exercises to strengthen the elbow joint:

active movements that the patient performs independently;
passive movements that a massage therapist or physical therapy instructor helps to perform;
combined movements that the patient performs in tandem with the instructor.

At the first stage, when the hand is absolutely immobilized, treatment is prescribed by position. In this case, the hand is placed on the pillow in the position of abduction or behind the head, to combat pain, swelling of the limb and improve lymph and blood circulation. Also, this exercise helps to improve the situation with sending impulses to fixed joints, relieve muscle tension in the forearm and shoulder, and restore motor skills in the elbow joint.

At the second stage of rehabilitation, when the splint is unbandaged on the forearm, the set of exercises includes actions to develop the elbow joint in the following initial positions:

a man sits, the shoulder of his sore arm lies on the table. In this case, the edge of the table is in the armpit, and the forearm is fixed in a vertical position. It is necessary to perform extension and flexion of the elbow so that the little finger runs parallel to the earlobe;

a man is sitting, his forearm is on the table, in his fingers is a child's rolling toy. The patient "rolls out" the forearm with the help of a toy, while fixing the shoulder;

standing or sitting, perform exercises on the block - extension and flexion in the elbow joint;

standing or sitting, perform various exercises with a volleyball or rubber ball, with a stick;

sitting in warm water (35-36 degrees) perform various exercises twice a day - in the morning and in the evening;

sitting or standing with the body tilted forward, unbend and bend the elbow joint, helping yourself with a healthy hand. Among such exercises are extension and flexion of both arms in weight, extension and flexion of the arms, taking them “in the lock”, lifting them by the head, on the head, etc.

It should be noted that in the second period of rehabilitation in the treatment of a fracture of the olecranon, it is impossible to force the flexion function in order to avoid a re-fracture. In the second stage of treatment and rehabilitation of a fracture of the coronoid process, one should not perform actions to flex the forearm, otherwise, one can thus contribute to the fusion of the process.

The development of an individual program of combined movements is the main stage of rehabilitation. The duration of the period of exercise therapy depends on the degree of injury and the speed of recovery of the elbow joint.

The treatment program, as well as rehabilitation after it, directly depends on the type of fracture of the elbow joint. The fracture occurs mainly when falling on a limb or with a strong blow with a blunt object. The patient suffers greatly from pain due to injuries of the elbow joint and cannot move his hand.

After applying a splint and taking an anesthetic, with such an injury to the elbow joint, you should immediately go to the emergency room. To accurately determine the severity of the fracture, the doctor will prescribe an x-ray. After receiving the results, the doctor will make a diagnosis and determine what treatment and rehabilitation is needed.

Sometimes, if the injury to the elbow joint is particularly severe, surgery is required. After the operation, a plaster splint is applied to the joint, which cannot be removed for the next 6-10 weeks.

During this period, drug treatment is carried out, and after the plaster has been removed, it will be necessary to develop the joint by performing the exercises prescribed by the doctor.

Why is it necessary to develop the elbow joint after the cast has been removed? The limb was completely immobilized for several weeks - this time is enough for the muscle and connective tissues to weaken and begin to atrophy. Their functionality needs to be restored.

For this you need to do:

Exercises from physiotherapy exercises;
Massage;
Physiotherapy.

Recovery will take some time - you can not immediately start intensively exercising and overloading the injured joint.

The structure of the elbow is quite complicated, it consists of three main bones:

Brachial;
Elbow;
Ray.

Also in the elbow joint there are also muscles, ligaments, nerve endings and blood vessels. The human elbow makes movements only in two directions - it bends and unbends, but the mechanism of movements is quite complex.

During a fracture, damage to the neurovascular bundle occurs, which can lead to very significant consequences. Often, after such an injury, surgical measures are prescribed, especially if hemarthrosis occurs.

With any fall, a person instinctively exposes the elbow. That's why he gets hurt so often. This can happen in such cases:

when falling on an elbow or on an outstretched arm;
with a strong blow to the joint area;
during car accidents and catastrophes;
athletes when playing tennis, volleyball, golf.

Elbow fractures are most common in children and the elderly. This is due to the weakness of the ligaments and the fragility of the bones. This is especially noticeable in patients with osteoporosis - in such cases, a fracture can occur even with the slightest blow.

A broken arm can be caused by a fall or a direct blow from, for example, a car collision. Since there are not strong enough muscles at the bend to constantly maintain the bone in the correct position, the olecranon is often extremely vulnerable.

An additional risk factor is weakness of the tendons and ligaments. Especially often the elbow joint is injured in children, whose bones and ligaments are not yet strong enough.

Types of fractures of the elbow joint

Like all other similar injuries, fractures of the elbow joint are divided into closed and open, intraarticular and periarticular, with and without displacement, multiple, crushed and comminuted.

Fracture of bones can be combined with dislocation. Due to the complexity of the structure of the elbow, the classification of damage at the site of localization has some features.

In most injuries, the olecranon takes the first blow. It is not protected by soft tissues. But a fracture of the olecranon itself is rare. Much more often, a fall causes fragments to detach from it. Such an injury is usually complicated by displacement of fragments, damage to blood vessels and muscles.
When a person falls on an outstretched hand, a fracture of the head or neck of the radius is possible.
Damage to the coronoid process is most often combined with injuries of the forearm or shoulder, dislocation in the joint, displacement of fragments.
With a fracture of the humerus, a dislocation in the elbow joint and damage to the condyle of the shoulder can occur.

Usually, damage is localized in the region of the process of the ulna, since there are no muscles that would protect it. You can also encounter other types of fractures:

damage to the head or neck of the beam;
coronoid injury;
fracture of the condyles of the shoulder.

In addition, the injury can be open or closed, as well as located inside the joint capsule or outside it. Fragments of bones can be displaced from their places or remain in the anatomical position.

The most commonly encountered type of injury is a closed type of injury, during which the bones do not injure the adjacent soft tissues. In an open injury, the skin is damaged when bone fragments break through it.

Symptoms

With a fracture of the joint, the following symptoms are noted:

Sharp pain in the area of injury, sometimes spreading to the forearm or even the hand;
Limitation of mobility in the joint or amplitude of movements unusual for normal functioning;
Edema at the site of injury;
The presence of hematomas (bruises) and bruises;
With displacement, injury to nearby nerves, muscles and ligaments is possible;
Numbness of the limb and decreased sensitivity;
It is also possible the presence of a crunch when moving.

By their nature, fractures are:

open;
closed;
Intra-articular - without displacement of the bone processes or with displacement.

Elbow joint contracture: causes, treatment and exercise therapy after a fracture

Conservative fracture treatment

With simple injuries of single bones without displacement, conservative treatment is possible. It consists in wearing a plaster cast. Additionally, other methods may be applied.

The main objectives of the treatment are to ensure the immobility of the bones for their fusion, to improve venous outflow in order to prevent swelling.

For this, gymnastics, physiotherapy, and medication can be prescribed.

Surgical intervention

In many cases, an elbow fracture requires surgery. The main thing for normal bone fusion is to precisely combine their fragments.

And with intra-articular injuries and multiple fractures, this can be done only with surgical intervention. With an open fracture, surgery must be performed no later than a day after the injury.

After repositioning, the bones are fixed with pins, bolts or wires. Sometimes osteosynthesis is required.

Fragments of bones are removed, and if necessary, the head of the damaged bone. In this case, it is replaced with an endoprosthesis.

Sometimes it is necessary to sew torn muscles and ligaments together. A fracture of the ulna, especially with fragments that have fallen into the joint, requires the use of bone grafting and the use of fixation plates.

Restoration of arm mobility

The most difficult thing is the development of the elbow joint after the fracture. In this place, contractures are often formed with improper rehabilitation.

While wearing a plaster cast, atrophy of muscles and ligaments occurs. To prevent this, it is necessary to do special exercises a few days after the injury.

In addition, paraffin baths, mud therapy, UHF, magnetotherapy or electrophoresis are prescribed. It is important to follow a special diet, including foods rich in vitamin C and collagen.

In most cases, complete restoration of joint mobility occurs after 1-3 months. When all the doctor's recommendations are followed, there are usually no complications. If some time after the injury, the elbows and knees begin to break, this indicates the development of some kind of joint disease.

Physiotherapy

Already on the second or third day after the injury, when severe pain has passed, you need to start doing exercises. First for the shoulder joint and fingers. The arm should be periodically raised up to prevent swelling. Breathing exercises are very useful during this period.

After removing the plaster, exercise therapy consists in bending and unbending the arm at the elbow several times a day. You can do this with the help of the second hand, clasping them into a lock, rolling balls or a toy car on the table with your fingers.

The second stage is training under the guidance of a specialist.

Special exercises are performed:

flexion and extension of the arm using a special block;
raise up and put hands clasped into the lock behind the head;
exercises with a gymnastic stick or with a ball;
slow rotational movements in the elbow joint;
useful exercise in the pool.

Therapy and further rehabilitation is prescribed by the doctor based on the type of damage and the location of the fault line. A fracture of the elbow joint is formed in a variety of everyday situations or during sports activities.

A person may fall on his elbow or be hit on the arm with a heavy object during a fight. One way or another, the victim needs qualified treatment, so he needs to be given first aid and taken to the nearest hospital.

After the patient enters the hospital, he must undergo a series of diagnostic procedures, after which the doctor makes an accurate diagnosis. In addition to the main restorative therapy, painkillers are also prescribed to the victim, since this injury is characterized by a strong manifestation of the pain syndrome.

Sometimes such damage can be so serious that immediate surgical treatment is prescribed. If the injury is not too severe, the bones grow together quickly and the patient returns to normal life.

In order for the recovery period to take as little time as possible, the victim is assigned exercises to develop the elbow joint.

When a person receives such an injury, the arm does not unbend for a long time, because it is fixed with a plaster cast or a special splint.

Due to immobilization, muscle and tendon tissue lose their functionality. A special set of exercises and other procedures helps to speed up the recovery of the upper limb:

physiotherapy;
massages;
various physiotherapy procedures.

A full recovery requires a certain time, because an elbow fracture is a serious injury. The development of the elbow joint after a fracture is not a pleasant process, because during exercise quite often a person is faced with pain.

But in order for the hand to be able to straighten again and fully perform its functions, it is necessary to adhere to the doctor's recommendations and do everything that he recommends.

How to develop the elbow joint after removing the cast: massage, exercises

Restorative development of the elbow joint after a fracture or surgery allows you to restore its lost mobility and functionality. As a rule, doctors advise exercise therapy, physiotherapy and professional massage. The rehabilitation period after the removal of the plaster takes 6-10 weeks. You should not neglect the doctor's recommendations, because the injury may be accompanied by a displacement of the bones. With the wrong approach, the fracture develops into arthrosis.

What is elbow development?

As a result of a fracture, surgery and subsequent fixation, the elbow remains motionless for a long time. The high-quality implementation of the rehabilitation recommendations of the doctor helps to restore the full functioning of the joint. Treatment and rehabilitation period directly depends on the type of fracture. Violation of the integrity of the bones occurs as a result of a fall or after an injury. Once the doctor receives the results of the X-ray, further actions can be determined. For example, a displaced fracture of the ulna may require surgery, and therefore, the rehabilitation of the elbow joint will take longer.

Exercise therapy, physiotherapy and massage help to develop an elbow after a fracture or surgery. Rehabilitation is a slow process. After removing the plaster, the patient feels how weakened the muscles and connective tissues. To avoid overloading the joint, it is necessary to gradually increase the load.

Discomfort in the joint during development is not a reason to quit classes.

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How to develop a hand in the elbow joint after removing the cast?

At first, you can simply clench and unclench your fist.

Wearing a cast for a fracture is up to 2.5 months. During this period, a load without weights, the development of fingers is useful. Doctors recommend:

knead plasticine;
spread your fingers and bring them to their original position;
unclench your palm and clench into a fist;
draw circles in the air with each finger individually.

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Useful exercises

After plaster removal

If the arm at the elbow does not unbend after a fracture, gymnastics must be performed taking into account the specific requirements:

Any exercise is performed using a restrictive bandage.
Classes should be regular, while painful sensations should not be allowed.
The movements are smooth and soft, it is possible to actively bend the joint only a month after the removal of the cast.

A complicated elbow fracture can make it difficult for a person to hold a cup or other small objects. The exercises performed should restore primary functionality and mobility. Each movement is repeated 5-6 times. If you feel tired, you need to take a short break. Possible movement options:

To restore the joint, you can knead the antistress.

tilt the palms brought together;
throw a tennis ball against the wall;
knead antistress;
clasp your fingers in the lock, slowly raise your hands behind your head.

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Further recovery

Exercises for the development of the elbow joint should be performed systematically, without laziness or excuses. The medical complex should be recommended by a doctor. If desired, you can agree with him the possibility of performing the following complex:

Sit at the table, put your palms on the tabletop. Move your fingers over the surface, slowly and without haste.
It helps to develop the hand by performing inclinations with the palms brought together.
When it is difficult for the patient to extend the arm at the elbow joint, one can try throwing a tennis ball against the wall and then catching it. In this case, sudden movements are prohibited. It is performed 3-5 times a day.
If it is not possible to gather your fingers into a fist, it is recommended to knead a piece of children's clay for crafts or ordinary plasticine every day. Soft balls are effective. The object to be squeezed is placed in the center of the palm.
Often the elbow does not unbend after a fracture with a displacement. Turning a pair of balls in the palm of your hand effectively helps.

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Physiotherapy

For rehabilitation purposes, you can take a course of laser therapy.

A fracture of the elbow joint requires complex treatment, which includes physiotherapy. This helps:

electrophoresis;
coniferous baths;
acupuncture;
laser therapy;
magnetotherapy.

The choice of the optimal combination of procedures must be entrusted to the doctor. One session will not help in any way, a treatment course of 8 to 12 visits is needed. This makes it possible to quickly return to normal life. With limited mobility, ozocerite, mud therapy, paraffin heating, and currents help well. Effectively helps swimming in warm water with extension of the joint, with supination and pronation.

If the patient is at risk of forming a false joint or the fracture does not heal well, shock wave therapy (SWT) is used. The affected area is treated with ultrasound. As a result, the regeneration process is stimulated and the formation of callus is accelerated.

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Will massage help?

At the initial stage of rehabilitation, this technique can only do harm. When the cast has been removed, the doctor recommends massaging the back and muscles above and below the fracture site. This returns mobility, strengthens ligaments, reduces pain, and prevents muscles from atrophying. You should not independently massage the elbow after a fracture - this is fraught with complications.

The joint will recover faster after a course of massage.

To restore circulation processes, the massage therapist uses special gels with painkillers. Before starting recovery procedures, it is necessary to stretch the elbow joint by performing several bends. The doctor uses the following techniques in his work:

Rubbing, restoring blood circulation. A little pressure helps to treat deep muscles.
Stroking. They help warm up the skin.
Kneading. They are performed with decongestant ointments, such as Fastum Gel, Venolife. Circular movements accelerate tissue regeneration.

The methods described above alternate with percussion, vibration, light pressure. Sometimes, to get the best effect, the massage therapist uses applicators (regular and magnetic), as well as other devices. Massage begins with the quality development of the joint. The duration of the procedure directly depends on the patient's state of health and the presence of pain.

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How to develop a hand after a fracture of the elbow joint: rules and exercises

Fractures are treated with rest and plastering. While the damaged bone heals, the rest of the structures of the limb relax due to the lack of load. Often, after removing the cast, the hand moves poorly and does not obey. Adequate rehabilitation is needed to prevent atrophy and stiffness. You can’t do without pills alone; for recovery, you must do special gymnastics. In the case of a fracture of the joints, this is doubly important, because they perform movements.

Why is it important

Recovery procedures bring the body back to working condition. They are needed to gently move from inactivity to movement. The terms and volume of rehabilitation depend on the complexity of the fracture and the diligence of the patient. At different stages of healing, restorative procedures pursue different tasks:

Immediately after injury, exercise therapy helps relieve swelling of the damaged area, prevents the formation of hematomas and contractures.
During healing, exercise improves the blood supply to the limb. Blood flows better to the tissues and speeds up metabolic processes in them. This helps to properly form the callus.
In the later stages, physical education prevents atrophy and trains muscles and joints for active movement. Exercises preserve reflexes that are "forgotten" during long immobilization.

Basic Rules

Painlessness. Gymnastics for the joints should not cause pain. If you feel uncomfortable, stop the session and consult with an exercise therapy instructor. Pain cannot be ignored as it leads to swelling and bone spur formation.
Regularity. You need to practice every day without any gaps. Exercise therapy has few contraindications, you can continue even during a mild cold.
Graduality. The load should be increased gradually. In the early days, light finger movements are performed. As they heal, bending and active exercises are added to them. When the bone is completely fused, classes in the pool are connected.
Symmetry. The movements are repeated by both the sick and the healthy hand, this trains the reflexes.

How to develop a hand after a fracture of the elbow joint

Rehabilitation begins immediately after immobilization. At first, small movements are performed in the hands. When the plaster is removed and the edema subsides, active exercises with an expander or a gyro trainer begin.

The patient is recommended to engage in exercise therapy with an instructor, especially at first. The coach will check the correctness of the movements and select gymnastic equipment for classes. At home, light improvised means are suitable - a ball or a stick.

It is recommended to combine real exercises with ideomotor training. IT is not the movement itself, but its representation. During ideomotor exercises, the brain sends the same impulses to the limbs as during a real action. This "focus" keeps the nerve fibers in working condition.

Water helps gymnastics. In a warm bath, movements are performed smoothly, without load. Body temperature water relaxes the muscles and relieves their fatigue after exercise therapy. Salt baths reduce swelling and improve tissue circulation.

You can not perform stops and hang on a sore arm. Weights are also prohibited, the load on the injured limb should be no more than 2 kg. It is better to postpone the massage until the end of healing. If pain, swelling and twitching occur during exercise, stop exercising and consult your doctor.

A set of exercises

Immediately after the fracture:

Small finger movements. Alternately bend the fingers on both hands. Match the thumb with others in turn. Compare the thumbs and forefingers of two hands, as if "stepping over" them. Put the brushes on the table, imitate playing the piano.
Abduction training. With a healthy hand, take the patient to the side and behind the head. Return slowly.
Mental training. Imagine bending the injured limb.
Static stress. Put the limb on a horizontal surface, alternately strain the shoulder and forearm.

In the middle of rehabilitation:

Bend and unbend the arm at the elbow, while making sure that the angle at the bend remains at least 40 °.
Roll the tennis ball on the table with the palm of your hand. First move clockwise, then in the opposite direction. Make sure that the shoulder joint is fixed and only the elbow moves.
Stretch a piece of rubber band to the sides with your hands. Try to move parallel to the floor and spread your arms the same distance from the starting point.
Clasp your hands in front of you. Slowly raise them above your head and fix for 5-10 seconds.
Place hands clasped together on your knees and take turns touching your left ear, nose, and right ear.
Stick exercises. Take a stick on outstretched arms, bend them at the elbows. Raise and lower straight arms with a stick, raising it above your head and touching your hips.
Standing, lean forward and clasp your hands in the castle. Bend your arms at the elbow joints, while the palms lie on the back of the head.

In the late recovery period:

Join hands behind the back with palms or a lock. Try to touch the shoulder blades from below and above.
Exercises with the ball (volleyball or a special gymnastic apparatus is suitable). Squeeze the ball with your palms on outstretched arms in front of you and above your head. Throw the ball forward with one hand.
Pronation and supination. Stretch your arms straight out in front of you and rotate your knuckles in and out. First rotate all the joints together, then separate the movement - only the wrists, only the elbows and only the shoulder joints separately.
Swimming lessons. It is recommended to swim breaststroke, on your back with the help of only legs and perform gymnastics in the water.

In addition to exercises, the doctor prescribes physiotherapy and massage. They begin after complete healing of the joint. If you use all the possibilities of rehabilitation and do not skip exercises, the hand will recover in 2-3 months.

sustavos.ru

Development of the elbow joint after a fracture

Why is it necessary to develop a joint?

How is the development of the joint?

The development of the joint is the main part of physiotherapy exercises, it is divided into three time periods.

The third exercise is the ball game. For example, you can try throwing a basketball into a hoop, but it shouldn't hurt.

In addition to these exercises, warm baths, preferably taken twice a day, can have a very positive effect on a speedy recovery.

In addition, the active phase of training in the water begins: you need to perform supination and propination in the elbow joint, bend and unbend it.

Due to its properties, water relaxes the muscles of the hand, which means that movements are easier and do not overload the joint.

What is prohibited during the rehabilitation period?

vyvihi.ru

How to develop after a fracture and surgery of the shoulder, elbow and other joints

The joint is a mobile link that connects the bone frame. It provides the motor function of a person. This ability is explained by its structure.

Unfortunately, the articular joints are often injured, as they are subjected to a large load every day. Fractures and surgeries often require immobilization of the injured joint. And after treatment, its development is required to give the former mobility.

The principle of operation of the joint

The large and small bones of the human skeleton end in joints, the surface of which is covered with cartilaginous tissue. At the junction between the bones there is a small gap filled with a special liquid. So the articular bones are protected from friction and injury. The joint is in a special bag covered with a sheath. Ligaments, tendons and muscles attach the structure to the bone, providing a certain range of permissible movement. Blood vessels of various sizes deliver nutrients to the joint, remove waste components.

If the range of motion is exceeded, then he gets injured. Conventional treatments involve immobilizing the joint so that the injured areas heal more quickly.

After the effects of the injury are relieved, the mobility of the joint is limited, since many of its functions are atrophied. To restore motor activity, it is necessary to do daily exercises, developing the joint to its previous level.

Distinguish between passive and active method of restoring the mobility of the joints. The bone ligament is passively developed with the help of special simulators, where the doctor-instructor adjusts a certain amplitude of permissible movement. Gradually complicating the task, the patient achieves an almost complete restoration of lost functions. The active method is used in physiotherapy exercises, where the patient himself calculates the allowable range for the occurrence of pain.

What are the injuries

Joint injuries are divided into the following types:

bruises, pricks, in which there is no damage to the bones;
muscle stretching;
rupture and stretching of ligamentous tissues;
dislocations of open and closed type;
hole in the articular bag;
bone fractures near their connection;
open wounds.

If you let the disease take its course, refusing to develop joints after an injury, the consequences manifest themselves in the form of severe chronic muscle and joint pathologies. As a result, bone and muscle tissues completely atrophy and dry out.

In case of a serious injury, the limb is fixed in an immobilized state by applying a cast. During treatment, the joint is actually inactive, so stagnation begins to occur inside it. The circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid is greatly slowed down. If, after release from the plaster cast, recovery exercises are not started, the process passes into the inflammatory phase. There is a threat of activation of chronic diseases, which can be eliminated surgically.

Types of rehabilitation after joint injuries

In case of injuries of the human skeletal system, it is not enough just to heal the bone, to correct the dislocation. Prolonged immobility of the affected joint causes its stiffness, which causes many inconveniences. To fully restore limb functionality, it is recommended to carry out a set of special rehabilitation procedures:

Insufficient physical activity leads to stagnation of blood, weakening of muscles, tightening of tendons and ligaments. At the same time, the body's ability to heal itself is significantly reduced.

What are the benefits of physiotherapy?

the effect of drugs is enhanced;
allergic reactions do not occur;
improves blood supply to organs;
the manifestations of pain syndrome are reduced;
puffiness is removed, the affected muscles are restored faster.

Used to restore procedures that have been known for centuries:

exposure to the affected area of exposure to heat;
cold treatment;
mud therapy;
water procedures;
exposure to magnetic fields;
electrophoresis with calcium chloride;
therapeutic ultrasound massage;
laser exposure.

To prevent the death of the muscles, the first procedures are prescribed for 3-4 days after the application of a plaster cast. Treatment continues for 1.5-2 months.

Especially important are the methods of recovery in the rehabilitation therapy of athletes.

Treatment is contraindicated for open fractures, wounds with a violation of the integrity of the skin surface.

Passive Development

To avoid re-injury during inept rehabilitation, a set of exercises on simulators has been developed, where the maximum allowable swing angle is fixed by a doctor. With each lesson, the load increases, allowing you to fully restore the functioning of the joint. The lesson lasts 3-10 minutes, so as not to overload the limb. If after training there is pain that does not go away, you should consult your doctor and reduce the frequency of exercises.

For rehabilitation, special simulators have been created, which change the load on the affected joint. Mechanical therapy is especially important in case of damage to large joints of the lower extremities. This eliminates the load of its own weight on fragile bones.

Classes with an instructor are a kind of passive recovery, in which the doctor himself carries out the movement of the patient's limb in a given direction.

A contraindication is the presence of arthrosis in the acute stage, a violation of the integrity of the skin.

Physiotherapy

This method of rehabilitation after joint injuries is prescribed by the attending physician. Timely treatment helps to quickly restore the functions of the limbs disturbed by the fracture. The recovery period is divided into 3 stages.

The duration of the first stage is 10 days. The main symptom of the lesion is pain and swelling of soft tissues with severe subcutaneous hemorrhage. The purpose of the procedure is to alleviate the position of the patient:

Applying the UHF procedure (ultra-high-frequency inductothermy), the swelling and soreness of the tissues around the affected joint is removed. It also restores impaired blood circulation in the body.
On the 3rd day after the plaster is applied, magnetotherapy is prescribed. The procedure has a stimulating effect on the restoration of bone tissue. It is especially in demand for older patients who have low levels of calcium in the body.
Analgesic effect has electrophoresis with a solution of novocaine.
Ensures the delivery of nutrients to the affected area by the impact of amplipulse therapy using interference currents of low power.

The second stage lasts 45 days. At this time, the restoration of bone tissue is stimulated. The procedures are supplemented with exposure to ultraviolet rays during the cold season, and in the warm season, the event is replaced by sunbathing. The doctor also prescribes a massage of tissues that are free from a plaster cast (above and below the affected area).

The third stage is the complete restoration of the functioning of the affected organ (lasts 3 months).

The following recreational activities are scheduled:

The impact of alternating current stimulates muscle contraction, improving blood circulation in small vessels. The procedure is indicated for the threat of muscle atrophy.
Ultrasound treatment lowers muscle tone. Use of anti-inflammatory ointments compatible with ultrasound.
Treatment with laser exposure is allowed in the later stages of recovery.

The attending physician prescribes procedures depending on the severity of the injury, the age of the patient, and the characteristics of his body.

Application of massage

Massage is considered a full-fledged therapeutic technique for almost all types of joint injuries. Therapy is carried out in two directions:

Full body massage with enhanced impact on the affected area. It takes 50-70 minutes.
Massaging a specific organ is performed for 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of the damaged area.

The main techniques of the procedure (stroking, rubbing, vibration, kneading, tapping) are selected depending on the location of the massage and the degree of damage to the joint.

The main tasks of the massage event:

eliminate swelling of the affected tissues;
relieve pain syndrome;
improve blood circulation in the affected area;
ensure the delivery of nutrients to the injured organ;
restore the functionality of the joint as soon as possible;
to give elasticity to ligaments, muscles, tendons;
reduce muscle tension;
accelerate bone regeneration.

The standard treatment course of massage consists of 16 procedures. If necessary, the cycle can be repeated after 2 weeks.

Contraindications:

periarticular inflammatory process, fever;
heart failure;
infectious diseases;
pregnancy;
malignant neoplasms, blood diseases;
alcohol intoxication;
wound decay;
poor blood clotting;
severe hypertension.

How to develop an elbow joint

Physical therapy, physiotherapy, and water exercises help prevent the loss of elbow performance after a fracture, dislocation.

At the same time, immediately after applying the plaster, it is recommended to do breathing exercises, develop fine motor skills of fingers free from plaster, and massage the shoulder area. The procedures help to saturate the tissues of the joint with oxygen, restore the functions of the circulatory system, relieve swelling, and remove pain. After removing the plaster, you can also perform the following exercises.

Exercises of therapeutic gymnastics in a sitting position:

Stretching out a hand on the table, it is slowly bent at the elbow.
Connect the brushes with a “lock”, raise and lower your hands above your head, without opening your palms.
Having fixed the shoulder, roll the ball or the children's car on the table.
Performing an exercise with a stick, throwing it over your head;
Stretch your arms forward and bend the limb at the elbow 5 times.
Squeeze the hands brought back with a “lock”, lift the hitch up.

Starting position, lying on your back:

Stretch your arms at the seams and do bending, trying to bring the hand as close to the forearm as possible.
Raise your arms in front of you and bend at the elbow alternately healthy and sick.
Tighten the muscles of the arm and shoulder to the count of 5, then slowly relax.
Raising your arms in front of you, make rotational movements with the brush in one direction and the other.

From a standing position:

Throw your hands behind your head, imitating the movement of a fishing rod.
Develop finger motor skills by stretching your arms in front of you. Make alternate circular movements with each finger.
Squeeze the rubber ring with the fist of the injured hand up to 100 times a day, taking a break when tired.
Engage in modeling from plasticine.
Bring and spread wide to the sides of the fingers on the hand.

It will take about 2 months to fully restore the functions of the hand if you do gymnastic exercises daily.

Gymnastics for the shoulder joint

To develop the shoulder joint after a fracture, exercises must be started on the second day after fixing the limb in a stationary state. First of all, breathing exercises should be performed, which prevents stagnation of blood and lymph in the lower compartment of the lung as a result of immobilization of the arm in a certain position.

The respiratory complex is performed 1-2 times a day, replacing morning and evening exercises. At the same time, the number of exercises varies depending on the general condition 4-6 times.

Inhalation and exhalation are done slowly, gradually filling and emptying the chest cavity with oxygen. The position of a healthy and injured hand should be the same. The second type of exercise is diaphragmatic breathing: when inhaling, you should stick out your stomach as much as possible, and when you exhale, pull it in. It is better to do the exercise lying on your back. In this case, a healthy limb is placed on the stomach to control movements during inhalation and exhalation.

The task of exercise therapy for a fracture of the shoulder is to prevent stagnation of fluids in the body, resorption of swelling, hematomas, and the formation of callus in a specified period.

For this, the following exercises are performed:

Finger movements of the injured limb (squeezing balls, rubber rings, rolling nuts or chestnuts).
Clenching your fist, you should make rotational movements with the brush in different directions.
Having released the fixation of the elbow, it is necessary to bend and unbend the arm at the elbow, trying to perform movements smoothly and slowly.
Rotate the forearm in both directions alternately without removing it from the tire.

First, the exercises must be repeated 4-5 times, gradually increasing to 10. If pain is noted, it is recommended to reduce the load.

After removing the cast or fixing bandage, breathing exercises can be stopped, but you can continue to do intensive gymnastics for the hands, focusing on the motor activity of the shoulder on both sides. Full load is recommended to give the damaged joint after 5-6 months.

Restorative gymnastics for finger joints

So that the motor skills of the fingers do not suffer after a fracture, it is necessary to devote enough time to physiotherapy exercises. It is recommended to develop all fingers, regardless of which one was damaged.

It is advisable to start gymnastics under the supervision of an experienced instructor or doctor so as not to disturb the restored bone:

It is necessary to gently rub the accessible surface of the hand of the injured limb.
Connect the fingers of both hands into the lock, carefully starting the rotation with the brushes.
Try to squeeze - unclench your fingers into a fist, if the exercise does not cause pain.
With an effort to spread your fingers to the sides to the maximum angle, then relax your palm and shake your fingers in the air.
Change the position of the hands (up - down with the palms), while the hands lie on the table.
With straight, tense fingers, it is recommended to lightly tap on a hard surface.

To develop the joints of the fingers, you should also collect small objects from the table or floor (beads, matches, coins). It is useful to type on a computer keyboard, to do modeling, embroidery.

Rehabilitation of the wrist joint

Injury in this area affects more elderly people who have age-related fragility of bones, and children who do not know how to fall correctly.

The fracture with an emphasis on the arm was described by the physician Puto-Kolles, after whom it is named. In case of injury, the wrist bone suffers, ligaments are stretched, muscles are torn.

Fracture healing lasts 35-45 days, but the recovery period lasts 6-8 months.

To restore motor activity after a fracture of the radius, it is recommended to do gymnastics with your fingers. At first, the help of a healthy limb is allowed.

Classes take 25-30 minutes, but it is desirable to repeat the complex 3-4 times. Every 2-3 days it is recommended to increase the angle of the warm-up of the fingers. Exercises are done on the table with emphasis on the fingers:

The affected hand lies on a table with a hard surface, palm down. It should be slowly sliding on the surface with movements to spread the fingers as wide as possible.
The palm of the diseased hand is pressed to the table, and the healthy one needs to raise straightened fingers until a slight pain is felt.
Touch small beads, matches, seeds with fingertips.

Correctly and regularly performed exercises reduce the recovery period for a wrist fracture.

Development of the hip joint

A hip fracture brings pain and discomfort, as bed rest is required for some time. In order to develop the hip joint as soon as possible, it is recommended to start breathing exercises 2-3 days after the plaster is applied:

perform diaphragmatic breathing lying on your back 3-5 times.
Pull the feet and hands towards you in the prone position. Alternate tension and relaxation.
Leaning on your elbows and rising above the bed, take a deep breath, and as you exhale, lower yourself onto the bed.
Focusing on the healthy leg bent at an angle of 90 ° and the half-bent patient leg, leaning on the elbows, raise the pelvis while inhaling, lower it while exhaling.

At a later date, therapeutic exercises consist in tilting the torso in different directions with widely spread legs in a standing position.

Development of the knee joint

Being constantly under the weight of the body, the knee is most often damaged. The imposition of gypsum, operations negatively affect its mobility. So that after treatment there are no problems with movement, it is necessary to develop a knee. For these purposes, after removing the plaster, walking, exercising on special simulators, moving the leg up and down while sitting on a chair are excellent. You can read more about how to develop a knee joint here.

Exercise therapy for the ankle

To develop the ankle joint, physiotherapy exercises are divided into 3 stages, the first of which is carried out in a hospital, and the second and third at home.

Immediately after applying a fixing bandage, it is recommended to perform movements that counteract hypodynamia and blood stasis in the affected limb. Puffiness also passes faster, hematomas resolve, and the pain effect is eliminated.

The video clearly shows the exercises for the development of the ankle.

At the first stage of rehabilitation, the following exercises are performed:

feasible movements of the toes of the foot, tension alternates with relaxation;
squeezing and unclenching the muscles of the lower leg without observing a certain regimen;
lying on the bed, it is necessary to perform rotational movements of the foot alternately in one direction and the other.

After being discharged home, the exercises become more difficult. It is necessary to increase the rotational amplitude of foot movement in both directions:

twist the foot alternately clockwise and against it;
perform the maximum allowable turns of the foot in both directions;
alternately pulling the sock forward and backward;
put the gymnastic stick on the floor and step over it with your feet, performing the exercise in slow motion.

When the cast is completely removed, the following exercises help to restore mobility to the ankle as much as possible:

walking and jogging;
swimming in an indoor pool or open water;
using a small ball for exercise;
aerobics to rhythmic music.

It is important to remember that correctly and timely started physical therapy for injuries of various joints allows you to quickly rehabilitate and start the life of a completely healthy person.

osteocure.ru

after surgery, fracture, with epicondylitis

The elbow joint is one of the most complex structures in the human body. These are three articulations united by one cylindrical articular bag.

The complex anatomy and continuous loads make this structure very vulnerable. Emerging pathologies are accompanied by pain, inflammation, limitation of mobility, which worsens the quality of life. Timely treatment and competent development of the elbow joint will help restore health.

Methods for restoring the motor and functional activity of the elbow

Various reasons can harm the joint: from banal overstrain to serious degenerative tissue changes. Therefore, the tactics of treating a damaged joint depends on the specifics of the disease and the individual characteristics of the patient's body.

Thematic material:

With epicondylitis

In the area of the elbow joint, the tendons of the muscles responsible for flexion-extension of the forearm and wrist are attached. With constant overvoltage, long-term repetitive monotonous hand movements or microtraumas, these structures become inflamed. The process spreads rapidly, affecting the periosteum and cartilaginous layer.

Initially, pain in the elbow area appears only during exercise or movement. If the problem is not treated, discomfort increases, becomes permanent, accompanied by local reddening of the skin, fever, decreased sweating, capillary spasms. As a result, a person is waiting for muscle atrophy and complete loss of ability to work.

Epicondylitis is also called tennis elbow. Indeed, people who have to load their shoulders all the time or perform monotonous movements are subject to it: athletes, loaders, plasterers, painters, musicians.

Fortunately, the pathology is successfully treated, but therapy takes a lot of time: from 3 weeks to several months. In the acute period, medication and physiotherapy are prescribed, aimed at pain relief and relieving inflammation. The rest of the injured limb is provided by a superimposed splint.

In the subacute period, rehabilitation is carried out with the help of physiotherapy exercises and massage.

exercise therapy

To relieve muscle tension and relieve pain, the following exercises are especially effective:

Such manipulations stretch the muscles, restore elasticity to the ligaments, preventing the re-formation of congestion, spasms, and clamps.

Massage

The procedure is prescribed after the removal of acute symptoms in order to improve blood circulation and lymph flow, restore joint mobility, and prevent contractures. Spend it sitting.

The procedure lasts about 15 minutes, it is carried out daily, for 10-12 days. The therapy requires precise knowledge of anatomy, so self-massage is not recommended - it is better to seek help from a specialist.

With stiffness

The elbow joint is quite mobile: it is able to bend the arm up to an angle of 400, unbend it by 1800, turn the palmar (supination) and back side (pronation) forward. When these functions are violated, they speak of joint contracture or limitation of its mobility.

The cause of the pathological condition can be a congenital malformation, trauma, inflammation, degenerative tissue changes, impaired nervous regulation, ingestion of toxic substances, scarring, prolonged immobilization.

Stiffness is accompanied by pain, muscle tension, swelling, deformity of the joint, or a change in the position of the limb. Fortunately, timely diagnosis makes it possible to dispense with conservative methods of treatment and avoid the development of complications.

The acute condition is removed with anesthetics and anti-inflammatory drugs. Physiotherapy with the use of absorbable agents has a good effect. During the rehabilitation period, you can not do without exercise therapy and massage.

Physiotherapy

With stiffness of the elbow joint, exercises are performed especially carefully, only under the supervision of an instructor. These can be complexes for relaxation or stretching, passive or active movements. Spend them in the gym or in the pool.

Each exercise is repeated 8-10 times. The purpose of such complexes is a gradual increase in the range of motion of the elbow joint, improvement of blood circulation, and an increase in contractile muscle activity.

Massage

With joint contracture, the procedure is performed according to the scheme. First, the places located above and below the affected area are massaged - the shoulder and forearm. Moreover, the methodology for working out different muscle groups should not be violated.

The flexors are worked out with rectilinear strokes, beak-shaped squeezes, ordinary and circular kneading, light shaking.
Alternate stroking, squeezing, beak-shaped kneading is better suited for influencing the extensors.
Chopping, tapping, tapping techniques for this disease are contraindicated.

Warming up the nearby areas, you can begin to massage the elbow joint itself. It is performed in two positions, when the hand:

relaxed and hanging along the body - they work out the inner part of the joint;
lies in front of the patient - massage the outer surface of the joint.

All movements are performed carefully, without undue pressure. As techniques, only circular stroking and rubbing are used.

At a fracture

It is easy to break the elbow joint: the lack of soft tissue makes this area unprotected. A fall on an outstretched hand, a strong blow, even a sharp awkward movement can lead to a violation of the integrity of the joint or the bones that make it up. An additional risk factor is age-related features of the structure of bone tissue, weakness of ligaments and tendons, and osteoporosis.

Fracture signs:

sharp pain that spreads throughout the arm;
limitation of joint mobility, its deformation;
the appearance of edema, hematoma;
decreased sensation or numbness of the limb;
crunching at the slightest movement;
skin damage and protruding bone fragments with an open fracture.

Treatment depends on the severity of the injury. In 70% of cases, they resort to surgical intervention in order to precisely combine the resulting fragments, sew together torn ligaments and tendons. Sometimes it is necessary to completely replace the damaged joint with an endoprosthesis.

In any case, it is necessary to ensure the immobility of the joint, which is achieved by applying plaster for a long time. During this time, atrophy of muscles and ligaments occurs, tissue nutrition and venous outflow are disrupted. Exercise and massage help speed up recovery.

exercise therapy

Assign already 2-3 days after the application of a plaster cast. In the initial period, breathing exercises are performed, as well as exercises for the hands, which improve blood circulation in the immobilized limb:

flexion-extension of fists;
spreading fingers;
alternately performing circular movements;
crushing plasticine.

After removing the cast, you can’t load the elbow joint for some time, so sparing exercises are selected. The patient is offered:

Tighten-relax the muscles of the elongated injured limb.
Sitting on a chair and lowering your hand along the back, swing it like a pendulum.
Without bending your elbow, roll the ball on the table, each time trying to increase the range of motion.

Only a month later, the doctor will prescribe a new set of exercises aimed at developing the joint.

It will take time to develop the elbow joint after a fracture and a long immobilization. Classes, most likely, will be accompanied by painful sensations and discomfort. But in no case should you give up therapeutic exercises: only daily workouts with a gradual increase in load will allow the joint to return to its former mobility. How to develop a joint at home on your own, you can learn from the video.

Massage

This procedure is no less important than exercise. It will remove pain, restore the motor activity of the joint, and prevent the development of degenerative processes in muscle tissue. However, it is important to know that in the acute period, in order to avoid displacement of fragments, any massage is contraindicated.

Immediately after the disappearance of pain and swelling, light stroking and rubbing work out the parts of the limb above and below the plaster, as well as the back. This improves blood circulation and nutrition of the tissues of the affected joint, prevents atrophy of muscle fibers, and strengthens the ligamentous apparatus.

Only after the plaster is removed, a gentle effect on the shoulder and forearm is allowed in the form of stroking, rubbing, pressing, kneading with the use of decongestant ointments, finger percussion.

It is not recommended to massage the elbow itself after a fracture; in the later stages of rehabilitation, only light stroking is allowed.

After operation

Surgical treatment of elbow diseases is not uncommon. Indications for surgery are dislocations, rupture of ligaments and tendons. In case of a complex fracture, a titanium plate is inserted or osteosynthesis is performed - connection and special fixation of the fragments. Some pathologies - arthritis, osteoarthritis, aseptic necrosis, ankylosing spondylitis - cause the development of irreversible processes or the complete destruction of joint structures. In this case, the question arises of replacing it with an endoprosthesis.

The recovery process will be easier and faster if the patient performs all the procedures prescribed by the doctor.

exercise therapy

Therapeutic exercises for the development of the elbow joint begin with the permission of the surgeon already in the first days after the operation, and the sooner the better. Gymnastics prevents the development of complications in the form of muscle dystrophy, circulatory disorders, mobility restrictions caused by forced joint passivity. First, the load is directed to the nearby joints of the hand, wrist or shoulder. Over time, they begin to carefully develop the operated elbow.

Massage

The procedure is carried out according to the same rules as for a fracture. It is important to remember that only nearby areas and the back are massaged. Intense impact on the area of the operated elbow is prohibited at all stages of rehabilitation.

With dislocation

As a result of a blow, fall or strong traction, the radius or ulna can be displaced, disrupting the usual structure of the articulation. In this case, we speak of a dislocation of the elbow joint. This painful injury is often accompanied by torn ligaments and tendons, which greatly complicates the recovery process.

Methods of treatment are chosen depending on the severity of the lesion and the individual characteristics of the body of the victim. In any case, the injured joint is first set and then immobilized by applying a plaster splint for two weeks. In parallel, drug therapy, physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises and massage are carried out.

exercise therapy

From the first days after applying a fixing bandage, the patient needs to exercise the muscles of the shoulder, either tensing or relaxing them, clenching his fingers into a fist to improve blood circulation and prevent muscle atrophy.

Two weeks after the injury, the splint is removed, and the patient is prescribed a treatment complex to restore joint mobility and normalize the range of motion. This is achieved by simple exercises, shown below.

The complex is performed 3-5 times, smoothly, in a moderate rhythm, avoiding jerks and painful sensations. A very good effect is given by stuffing the ball, rotating the gymnastic stick, rolling the rolling pin on the table, swimming in the pool.

Massage

The purpose of the procedure is to restore normal blood supply and nutrition to the tissues of the damaged joint, relieve swelling, remove excess fluid, and strengthen the ligaments. In the absence of contraindications and complications, massage is started already 3–5 days after the joint is repositioned. Perform it according to the following scheme:

during the first two procedures, the shoulder, forearm and hand are worked out, applying stroking, rubbing and light pressure;
starting from the third procedure, massaging the fingers is added, paying special attention to the joints.

5 weeks after the injury, a slight impact on the elbow area is allowed. Intensive receptions during this period are prohibited.

In case of injury and sprain

Falls, shocks, overvoltage often cause stretching of the capsule and ligaments of the elbow joint, provoke a bruise - a sharp compression of the soft tissues, in which a hematoma, swelling, sensitivity is disturbed and pain occurs.

Such problems are mostly solved by conservative treatment. The hand is immobilized with a bandage, on the first day cold is applied to the damaged area, later they switch to thermal procedures. For severe pain, take painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs.

Massage

In the first three days after the injury, only the periarticular zone is affected in order to normalize blood circulation and eliminate swelling. This procedure is called preparatory or drainage and is performed using longitudinal, transverse, circular or spiral strokes, rubbing, light pressure. Do it in the morning and evening for 10-15 minutes.

If on the fourth day swelling, inflammation and redness subside, proceed to the main massage, aimed at the joint itself and tendons. For this:

rub the elbow area, pressing the recesses with your fingers;
perform longitudinal, transverse, double annular kneading of the problem area;
carry out light tapping with the fingertips.

The session ends with passive flexion-extension of the elbow joint.

Massagers that have a point impact with low-frequency pulses are used at later stages of rehabilitation, even at home. As a result, cell regeneration is accelerated, cartilage structure and joint functions are restored.

exercise therapy

The task of physical therapy is to increase the mobility of the damaged joint. Therefore, we perform gymnastics similar to that prescribed for elbow contracture.

The “pyramid” exercise is especially useful during this period, which allows you to effectively develop the joint and increase its mobility.

The principle of its implementation is as follows:

We sit at the table so that the bent elbow is in the same plane with the shoulder.
With a healthy hand, we hold the base of the pyramid. On the table we place its removable parts.
We collect and string the elements, moving the hand only due to the work of the elbow joint. Each time we place the details further and further, we try to reach them, increasing the amplitude of flexion-extension.

It is important to remember that you can not forcefully bend and unbend the joint. If you experience discomfort or pain, stop exercising. During the entire period of treatment, sudden movements, heavy lifting, hanging should be avoided.

Medical therapy

Elbow diseases in the acute stage are treated with the use of drugs, among which there are necessarily:

Nonsteroidal drugs - "Diclofenac", "Mobilac", "Artrozan", which have analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects. For internal use, powders, capsules, tablets are produced, for external use - ointments. Patients with a sick stomach or liver are prescribed injections.
Glucocorticoid hormones - Mydocalm, Depo-medrol, Diprospan - are the strongest anti-inflammatory drugs that are used only in exceptional cases, as they have many serious side effects.
Chondroprotectors - "Artra", "Alflutop", "Teraflex" - means for restoring destroyed joint structures, made from natural ingredients.
Hyaluronic acid preparations - "Ostenil", "Synvisk" - stimulate the regeneration of cartilage, improve its depreciation and elasticity. Injections have a prolonged, up to 12 months, action.

Pharmacy does not stand still. Every year, new medicines appear that can quickly relieve a person of pain and return him to his usual active daily life.

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Development of the elbow joint after a fracture (exercises)

Injury to the upper extremities in the elbow joint occurs quite often. After such an injury and a forced long stay in a plaster cast, the arm usually does not unbend. In order to restore the full functioning of the injured limb, it is necessary to make a lot of effort.

Exercises for the development of the elbow joint after a fracture will help in the task. This stage is very important for rehabilitation after an injury.

What are the goals of joint development

The development of the elbow joint after a fracture helps not only to restore normal motor activity in the joint, but also contributes to the restoration of damaged tendons, the rupture of which often accompanies an elbow fracture. This often requires surgery.

After the operation, the recovery process is even slower than in cases where the injured person does not need the operation. Accordingly, it is also necessary to wear a cast for much longer - sometimes up to 2.5-3 months, which leads to partial atrophy of the muscles of the arm and tendons.

Physiotherapy exercises will help restore the previous motor activity of the injured arm, but this will take time. Sensations in the elbow joint, as well as in the rest of the arm, during the implementation of a set of exercises will not be the most pleasant and even quite painful. But you need to deal with it, overcoming the pain, because this is the only way to completely return the hand to its previous “shape”.

If, after a fracture of the elbow joint, therapeutic exercises are not performed, the elbow joint after a fracture can be immobilized throughout the rest of a person’s life, which will seriously affect the functionality of the injured arm and cause serious discomfort in everyday life.

When can you start remedial action?

Those who have undergone the above type of injury to the upper limb are primarily interested in the question of how to develop the elbow after a fracture and how soon after the injury you can start doing gymnastics.

Exercise therapy for a fracture of the elbow joint should begin to be performed immediately after the limb has been fixed with a plaster cast.

You ask how to do exercises if the hand is immobilized? Very simple - you can develop those parts of the hand that are not covered with a fixing bandage. Those. you need to perform exercises with your fingers, the movements of which directly affect the development of the muscles and tendons of the hand.

It is also necessary to regularly develop the shoulder joint, the muscles of which are also associated with the elbow. When performing the exercises, it is necessary to carefully monitor that the arm fixed with gypsum does not unbend in any case and does not move at all at the fracture site.

Elementary but effective gymnastics for rehabilitation

Let the physical exercises that will be performed immediately after the cast be not too difficult. It is enough just to squeeze and unclench your fingers, “write” them on an imaginary keyboard, gently rotate the entire arm in the shoulder joint so that it is bent at the same time, and in no case does the injured elbow move. In case of a fracture of the elbow, the implementation of such an elementary complex will prevent the disruption of blood flow and the development of edema in the arm.

How to develop a broken elbow joint in the subsequent stages of recovery - when the cast is removed? You can move on to more complex exercises:

Move a chair with a back so that you sit sideways against the table top. Sit down and place your injured arm on the tabletop so that the latter cuts under your armpit. Starting from this position, the arm should unbend and bend at the elbow joint. At the end point, the lower part of the upper limb should be pressed against the forearm, and then return to its original position and rest on the support, i.e. countertop.
Sit on the floor and pick up any wheeled toy. Grab it with your injured arm and roll it on the floor as far as your arm can reach. During the exercise, the shoulder joint must be securely fixed in one position - only the elbow joint should “work”.
You can develop a fractured joint with the help of ball games. Throwing the ball into the basket or over the net is effective.
Spread your legs shoulder-width apart and straighten up. Tilt your upper body forward so that it is parallel to the floor but perpendicular to your lower body. Straighten your arms, and try to reach the floor with them on the count of one, two, three, and then straighten the body. After straightening, put both hands behind your back and try to fix them in the “lock”.

Rehabilitation after a fracture should occur gradually. Be patient with yourself and mindful while doing any exercise with your injured arm. Stop immediately if you feel pain. Do not overdo it, so as not to provoke a second fracture or displacement of a broken elbow joint. It is enough to perform the above exercises no more than 5 times daily - this approach to recovery is competent and effective.

Also effective are extensions and bending of the arms at the elbows while taking a bath - i.e. in warm water. A warm bath improves blood circulation in the body, and, accordingly, blood flow to the injured elbow, which contributes to its accelerated healing and recovery. Do not neglect the prescribed physiotherapy procedures, as well as a visit to the massage room.

We hope that we have fully answered the question “how to develop an elbow joint”.

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How to develop a hand after a fracture in the elbow joint: 10 exercises

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Very often, people leading a mobile lifestyle are faced with limb injuries.

During a fall or a blow, a person instinctively puts his hands forward, so the elbow and wrist areas are most prone to fracture. Damage to the elbow joint is accompanied by severe pain, limitation of motor functions.

Causes of injury

The causes of elbow injuries can be different: a fall on a bent or straightened arm, a blow to the elbow process, a dislocation or injury to the articular part of the forearm. The risk of a fracture becomes higher if the ligaments around the elbow are weakened.

Why is it necessary

Not every person knows how to develop an elbow after a fracture, and why this should be done. When treating an elbow joint injury, a cast is applied to the injured limb to ensure its complete immobilization. If movements in the joint are absent for too long, the muscular corset begins to atrophy. The size of the tendons becomes smaller, so the joint is not protected from getting sprains and injuries.

The longer the mobility of the elbow is absent, the more it loses its functions. To restore muscle tone, you can develop the damaged area, when the specialists allow you to remove the plaster cast.

Video

Exercise therapy for the elbow

What is prohibited

Often, patients try to go through the rehabilitation period faster, so they begin to massage the damaged area as soon as the doctor removes the cast.

This cannot be done, because the joint may move, a process forms on the bone, or a muscle rupture occurs.

After removing the immobilizing bandage, it is forbidden to work passively with the injured limb: carry weights, place emphasis on it, hang on the horizontal bar, etc. This may result in pain. First you need to develop the shoulder and elbow joints so that the bones fully grow together. For several months after the injury, you need to treat your hand as carefully as possible until the rehabilitation period is over.

How to develop

The development of the elbow joint after a fracture, exercises, and other methods of rehabilitation necessary for a speedy recovery are discussed with the attending physician. Painkillers are prescribed to relieve pain.

There are severe cases of fracture (for example, with displacement of bone fragments), which cannot be avoided without surgical intervention. It is very important that with such injuries, before the ambulance arrives, the person is given first aid. To do this, you need to apply an immobilizing splint, using improvised means.

In other cases, if the bone structures are slightly injured, the joints are restored without surgery. In order for the regenerative processes to take place as quickly as possible, after the removal of the plaster cast, it is necessary to return the limbs to their usual mobility. How to develop a hand after a fracture in the elbow joint, a person decides together with specialists. Often, for this, they recommend classes in healing gymnastics, performing massage, visiting physiotherapy procedures.

Useful exercises

There is exercise therapy for injured limbs. You can perform it after removing the cast, with the permission of the doctor. The main thing is to take into account such requirements:

Perform exercises only while wearing a bandage that will help limit motor activity;
It is necessary to do regular workouts;
When pain occurs, classes immediately end;
You need to make movements without sudden movements. Active exercises are allowed no earlier than one month after the removal of the immobilizing device;
In the presence of diseases of the joints of the upper limbs, a person can hardly hold a mug or other objects. To return full functions and hand movements, each exercise is performed five to six times. If fatigue appears, you can do them with short breaks.

Not many people know what exercise therapy should be for a fracture of the elbow joint. A set of exercises may include the following movements:

Physiotherapy

After removing the cast, the treatment of a fracture of the elbow joint should be carried out in a complex manner. To do this, doctors recommend attending various physiotherapy procedures:

electrophoresis;
baths with coniferous plants;
acupuncture;
therapy with magnetic waves or laser;
ozokerite;
warming up with paraffin;
mud therapy.

Which physiotherapy procedures will be most effective, only the attending physician decides, taking into account the individual characteristics of the injury of each patient. The course of visiting procedures ranges from eight to twelve times. They help a person to return the limbs to their usual physical activity.

When the victim is likely to form a false joint, or the fracture heals for a long time, doctors send him for treatment using shock waves. The impact on the pathological area is carried out by ultrasound.

This helps to activate the regeneration of the damaged joint, to ensure the early appearance of callus.

Massage

Massaging a broken elbow joint in the initial stages of treatment can be harmful. After removing the plaster cast, experts prescribe a massage of the damaged area. With its help, it is possible to strengthen the ligaments, stop soreness, and reduce the risk of atrophy of the muscular corset. At first, it is recommended to entrust the massage to a specially trained person in order to avoid complications. When he teaches the technique of proper self-massage, the procedure is allowed to be performed at home.

To restore blood circulation in the area of damage, the chiropractor uses various ointments containing painkillers. First of all, the massage therapist kneads the elbow, gently bends and unbends it. Massage uses the following techniques:

Food

In order for the damaged joint to return to normal as quickly as possible, with a fracture of the elbow joint, or arthrosis of the shoulder joint, you need to adjust your diet. In order for the ligaments to be strong, the products must contain collagen, vitamins C and E. You can get collagen by eating poultry, fish, and other seafood, buckwheat, oatmeal, persimmon, or peach.

Rich in vitamin C: cabbage, tomatoes, bell peppers, oranges, lemons, strawberries, herbs, etc. Vitamin E is saturated with cereals, carrots, sea buckthorn, soybeans, greens, egg yolk, nuts, etc.

If a person who has received an elbow fracture is overweight, it is necessary to adhere to a diet.

The presence of excess weight puts pressure on the articular part of the body, leads to problems with metabolic processes.

Folk recipes

Having previously obtained the permission of a doctor, when treating a fracture of the elbow joint, it is allowed to use various traditional medicines. Many of them have repeatedly shown their effectiveness in practice:

Terms of rehabilitation

Rehabilitation after a fracture of the elbow joint is considered an integral part of therapy. Its duration can vary from a few weeks to three months.

If symptoms appear that indicate the presence of an injury to the elbow joint, there is no need to postpone a visit to the doctor. Timely diagnosis, treatment, and development of a damaged joint guarantees a speedy recovery, the return of the usual motor activity of the limb.

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Why is it important

Recovery procedures bring the body into working condition. They are needed to gently move from inactivity to movement. The terms and volume of rehabilitation depend on the complexity of the fracture and the diligence of the patient. At different stages of healing, restorative procedures pursue different tasks:

Immediately after injury, exercise therapy helps relieve swelling of the damaged area, prevents the formation of hematomas and contractures.
During healing, exercise improves the blood supply to the limb. Blood flows better to the tissues and speeds up metabolic processes in them. This helps to properly form the callus.
In the later stages, physical education prevents atrophy and trains muscles and joints for active movement. Exercises preserve reflexes that are "forgotten" during long immobilization.

Basic Rules

painless. Gymnastics for the joints should not cause pain. If you feel uncomfortable, stop the session and consult with an exercise therapy instructor. Pain cannot be ignored as it leads to swelling and bone spur formation.
Regularity. You need to practice every day without any gaps. Exercise therapy has few contraindications, you can continue even during a mild cold.
gradualism. The load should be increased gradually. In the early days, light finger movements are performed. As they heal, bending and active exercises are added to them. When the bone is completely fused, classes in the pool are connected.
Symmetry. The movements are repeated by both the sick and the healthy hand, this trains the reflexes.

How to develop a hand after a fracture of the elbow joint

It is recommended to combine real exercises with ideomotor training. IT is not the movement itself, but its representation. During ideomotor exercises, the brain sends the same impulses to the limbs as during a real action. This "focus" keeps the nerve fibers in working condition.

You can not perform stops and hang on a sore arm. Weights are also prohibited, the load on the injured limb should be no more than 2 kg. It is better to postpone the massage until the end of healing. If pain, swelling and twitching occur during exercise, stop exercising and consult your doctor.

A set of exercises

Immediately after the fracture:

Small finger movements. Alternately bend the fingers on both hands. Match the thumb with others in turn. Compare the thumbs and forefingers of two hands, as if "stepping over" them. Put the brushes on the table, imitate playing the piano.
Abduction training. With a healthy hand, take the patient to the side and behind the head. Return slowly.
mental training. Imagine bending the injured limb.
Static voltage. Put the limb on a horizontal surface, alternately strain the shoulder and forearm.

In the middle of rehabilitation:

Bend and unbend the arm at the elbow, while making sure that the angle at the bend remains at least 40 °.
Roll the tennis ball on the table with the palm of your hand. First move clockwise, then in the opposite direction. Make sure that the shoulder joint is fixed and only the elbow moves.
Stretch a piece of rubber band to the sides with your hands. Try to move parallel to the floor and spread your arms the same distance from the starting point.
Clasp your hands in front of you. Slowly raise them above your head and fix for 5-10 seconds.
Place hands clasped together on your knees and take turns touching your left ear, nose, and right ear.
Stick exercises. Take a stick on outstretched arms, bend them at the elbows. Raise and lower straight arms with a stick, raising it above your head and touching your hips.
Standing, lean forward and clasp your hands in the castle. Bend your arms at the elbow joints, while the palms lie on the back of the head.

In the late recovery period:

Join hands behind the back with palms or a lock. Try to touch the shoulder blades from below and above.
Exercises with the ball (volleyball or a special gymnastic apparatus is suitable). Squeeze the ball with your palms on outstretched arms in front of you and above your head. Throw the ball forward with one hand.
Pronation and supination. Stretch your arms straight out in front of you and rotate your knuckles in and out. First rotate all the joints together, then separate the movement - only the wrists, only the elbows and only the shoulder joints separately.
Swimming lessons. It is recommended to swim breaststroke, on your back with the help of only legs and perform gymnastics in the water.

In addition to exercise, the doctor prescribes physiotherapy and massage. They begin after complete healing of the joint. If you use all the possibilities of rehabilitation and do not skip exercises, the hand will recover in 2-3 months.

Joint fracture is one of the most complex injuries, after which competent and large-scale rehabilitation is required. After all, not only issues of quality of life, aesthetics, but also working capacity are affected here - not all patients after fractures can return to their previous work. The elbow joint in this regard is of particular importance, because most of the work is done by hand. Therefore, exercise therapy for a fracture of the elbow joint is an indispensable element of the recovery program for patients after injury.

Rehabilitation of the joint is quite complicated, so it should be carried out exclusively by a rehabilitation doctor. Efficiency depends on the correctness of the exercises, the recovery abilities of the body. Rehabilitation can last for 1.5–3 months, depending on the complexity of the fracture.

The purpose of exercise therapy and its features

An elbow fracture is treated with a cast. The arm is tightly fixed from the shoulder almost to the wrist, and so it is necessary to walk for several weeks. After the plaster cast is removed, the patient may see such an unpleasant picture:

the damaged arm acquires a bluish tint from real estate;
the limb looks swollen;
the patient sees that the limb has become shorter compared to a healthy arm;
the arm moves stiffly after immobilization, and some movements are completely painful.

After removing the plaster, it is important not only to get rid of the consequences of a fracture and restore joint mobility, but also the trophism of tissues that have been shackled in a plaster cast for a long time. The purpose of physical therapy in restoring joint mobility after a fracture is as follows:

stimulation of metabolism in damaged tissues;
prevention of adhesions, stiffness, muscle atrophy;
maintaining the general condition of the upper limb in good shape;
improved blood supply to the broken joint.

To implement the tasks, various movements are used, not only in the elbow, but also in the shoulder joint, so that there is no contracture. Also, when developing exercises, doctors evaluate individual injuries in the joint and build a program for a particular patient. For example, if the ulnar tubercle is damaged, it is not worth squeezing your fingers strongly during exercises - the rehabilitation doctor will warn you about all this.

gymnastic exercises;
mechanotherapy;
aquatherapy (classes in the pool).

It is necessary to gradually increase the load during massage on the arm after a fracture, and gymnastic exercises can be combined with physiotherapy, and then with mechanotherapy, when the elbow joint gets stronger. The most sparing rehabilitation is aquatherapy. The main problem that needs to be solved is to reduce pain after removing the cast, increase muscle tone, and relieve swelling.

Recovery after a fracture with physical activity is not a pleasant procedure. At first, patients feel severe pain and stiffness when moving, all exercises are done through physical effort, the moral side also suffers - the patient feels helpless, depressed by incomplete recovery.

Gymnastic exercises

At the initial stage, physiotherapy exercises are controlled by a rehabilitation doctor. After the patient learns to perform them correctly, you can practice healing movements at home.

The simplest exercise for an injured hand is kneading soft parts in the hands. It can be a rubber baby ball or a small inflatable ball. Since such items are the most pliable for the fingers, they are recommended at the initial stage of recovery.

ADVICE! As soon as the fingers do not hurt and the patient feels that these exercises are too easy to do, it is necessary to replace the soft toy with a piece of plasticine. To knead dense plasticine, you need more muscle strength, and such movements for the hand will become a new stage in therapy.

If such an exercise seems to be ineffective and more like a game to someone, then patients quickly change their minds as soon as they make several approaches. The movements give an excellent effect on the muscles and transfer the energy of movement directly to the joint - the development is very effective.

The next exercise is done at the table. It is necessary to put your hands on the table, stretch them out in front of you and connect them to the castle. The palms must be twisted either outward or inward. It is recommended to do this exercise for at least five minutes, but do not bring it to the onset of pain.

This may be if the fracture was with displaced elements. This means that the muscles and ligaments are not yet prepared for the load and it is too early to develop the arm. You can perform this exercise not only in the exercise therapy complex. If the patient watches TV in the evening, you can lie down on the sofa and practice these movements lying down.

Tennis balls are a good tool for developing arm muscles that are stiff after immobilization. Two balls must be picked up and try to rotate so that they do not fall. This exercise is also done for at least five minutes. If there are no tennis balls to develop the elbow joint after a fracture, they can be replaced with toy ones.

You need to start with the simplest exercises

It is also useful to catch tennis balls by throwing them against the wall. The task of the exercises is to make the hand remember the biomechanics that were performed before the injury. Such simple exercises will be a good start for further recovery of the arm.

Another exercise is playing the piano. Imagine that you can play an imaginary piano - go through a few movements, moving along the keys. It is good if there is a musical instrument at home. Then the exercise is better to do on it. After an imaginary game, connect your fingers and press the fingertips against each other. These exercises are interesting for kids.

After the exercises for the hand, it's time to develop the shoulder girdle. Treatment must begin with the simplest - stand in front of the mirror and raise your shoulders several times. Having done ten times, they proceed to the next exercise - they raise their hands up and spread them to the sides, then they stretch them forward in front of them and also spread them to the sides. These exercises are introductory for the radius and ulna, they activate blood circulation in the upper limb.

The following exercises involve the elbow joint directly. The hand where the broken joint was should be rotated in different directions - ten rotations clockwise and the same counter-clockwise. It is recommended to raise your hand up. The simplest thing is to comb your hair more often in front of a mirror. Such movements are simple and familiar, the elbow joint “remembers” them, so there should not be any special problems with execution.

The next exercise is also for the elbow. Stand in front of the wall and put your hands down. Place your broken arm against the wall with your fingers and step up to bend the elbow joint. The first exercises can be difficult, so if you feel pain or discomfort, they should be stopped.

IMPORTANT! The purpose of the exercise is to reach a certain goal (calendar on the wall, carnation, castle), which will be located high enough to achieve such a goal at once, it makes no sense - the hand is developed gradually, and the load should be dosed.

Development exercises at first can be difficult and even painful. Do not rush to restore motor activity in a few days - this does not happen, and you can only harm your health. There are cases when the bone is displaced under heavy load. As soon as the hand restores normal blood circulation, nutrition and oxygen access to the tissues, the broken limb will quickly recover.

Mechanotherapy

Mechanotherapy is an exercise for the development of the hand, which is performed using special mechanisms. This technique has been successfully used for injuries in various joints, including the elbow joint. The main goal of mechanotherapy is to improve mobility in the joints and muscles with the help of special exercises on the simulator. Hand exercises are performed from 20 minutes to one hour.

The elbow joint is not easy to develop due to the fact that it is complex, and the development should have the maximum result for the patient. That is why mechanotherapy is used in clinics. One of the most popular devices is Artromot. This is a special portable stand that is attached to the seat of the balls, and its movable parts allow the patient to develop the arm.

The simulator has the following positive aspects:

when developing the hand, not only the rehabilitation of the joint is carried out, but also the prevention of stiffness of the hand;
the drug is quite compact, it is available in many clinics and rehabilitation centers;
the device is easy to operate, at the initial stage of rehabilitation, all parameters are set by a medical worker, there is a memory function that saves time for setting individual parameters;
with polytraumas, it is possible to carry out rehabilitation even in bedridden patients;
the procedure on the simulator is absolutely painless - the pressure of mechanical parts and metal objects is excluded.

It is strictly forbidden to carry out mechanotherapy without other methods of physiotherapy exercises. This is due to the fact that the hand will perform monotonous movements and develop only one muscle group. When restoring the full activity of the upper limb, this approach is unacceptable. Various physical activity and gymnastics are needed, which will load different muscle groups.

The simulator is an excellent assistant to the patient in the restoration of the limb

What gives mechanotherapy for the elbow joint:

blood circulation in the injured limb is activated;
the movement of lymph is normalized, the tissues are filled with oxygen and nutrients;
toxins that arise during the recovery process are actively removed;
the muscular system is strengthened, movements become more confident, tone increases;
return to the previous range of motion.

Despite all the positive and extremely important moments for the injured hand, doctors may refuse to carry out mechanotherapy for the patient. Such restoration is contraindicated in the following cases:

with various articular deformities;
if there is an inflammatory process in the body;
with atrophy of the muscles of the hand, shoulder;
with elevated body temperature in a patient;
if the cast was removed from the arm recently and there was a fracture with a displacement;
with residual pain after the restoration of the upper limb;
in the presence of oncological diseases;
if the patient suffers from certain cardiovascular pathologies.

It is necessary to do exercises after a fracture of the elbow joint not only on Artromot. This is just one example of a mobile trainer that can be used. For rehabilitation, other varieties are also used:

block simulators - used to prevent adhesions if there was a contracture. Exercises for the muscles of the upper limbs are very relevant. Externally, the device is a block and a cable - the arm is fixed in one position, the work takes place with a block of various weights;
pendulum simulator - used to develop joint mobility. The exercise time is at least twenty minutes. The basis of the classes is the use of inertial force, with the help of which the patient needs to set the pendulum in motion;
isokinetic simulators - are used extremely rarely. Restore movement in athletes who actively use the upper limbs and have regular training. The job is to suppress the load of the lever.

Using mechanical therapy as a recovery is a great way to cope with the negative effects of an injury and develop an elbow joint after a fracture. Recovery with the simulator is much more efficient, working capacity is restored faster. This simulator is used not only for rehabilitation after fractures, but also for joint restoration after arthroplasty, paralysis, joint surgery, etc.

Aquatherapy

Aquatherapy will help to develop an elbow after a fracture, it is especially useful for a child. Treatment involves both exercises in water and with water. You can do exercises in a hand bath. Water of the required temperature is poured into a deep basin and exercises are done, but water therapy in the pool is best.

IMPORTANT! Treatment is also carried out by a rehabilitation doctor - independent exercises in the pool can harm the patient.

Water greatly facilitates the performance of all movements and improves the performance of the limb. The whole complex of exercises in water is much easier to do than without it. At the same time, the load on the injured elbow is reduced, the fingers move better, it is not so painful to strain the muscles. Here are some basic exercises that you can do even at home:

collect buttons - pour warm water into a small bowl, sprinkle buttons of various sizes and shapes on the bottom. The patient's task is to collect all the buttons with his hand, and each time the exercises will be different - first you need to collect large buttons, and then smaller and smaller. Then select the buttons by color - first collect red, green, blue, so that you come across buttons of different sizes, both large and small. Exercises are performed 5-7 times, inventing new tasks each time. Such a simple and exciting exercise will allow you to remove the primary stiffness in the muscles after a long stay of the joint in a cast. The exercise is especially popular with children;
draw on the sand - you need to immerse the sand in a bath of warm water, wait until it all settles, and then draw any drawings on the sand. The simplest thing is numbers from one to ten, so it is easiest to control the number of movements performed, you can draw the letters of the alphabet. Draw elements for 5 minutes, each time you can slightly increase the time;
do underwater gymnastics - in a basin of warm water, “walk” with your fingers from the beginning to the end of the bottom, bend your hand at the wrist, placing your palms flat on the bottom, clench your hand into a fist and unclench under water several times. Place your palm and lift each finger in turn - first from the thumb to the little finger, and then vice versa. Turn your palm over several times, resting on the basin on the opposite side. The time for performing such exercises is up to 10 minutes;
massage your hand - immerse the affected hand in a bowl of warm water and rinse the diseased limb with a healthy hand, massage the wrist area, the center of the palm. These exercises are not allowed immediately, but 1-2 weeks after the removal of the cast, in order to restore blood circulation in the arm;
squeeze out the sponge. Dial two containers of water - one basin and the second any container with a wide neck. Pour one liter of water into a basin of water (then the volume of water needs to be increased), throw a kitchen sponge into it and squeeze it with your injured hand into another container until the basin is dry. It is better to start with small volumes. The main thing is that during this exercise, shooting pain in the elbow does not appear. This means that the muscles have not fully recovered.

These pebbles for the aquarium can be excellent simulators for exercising in the water.

In such baths before exercise, you can add sea salt or a few drops of aromatic oil. This will help the hand relax more, increase blood flow to the capillaries, and expand the pores of the skin.

Regarding the temperature of the bath water, you should consult your doctor. For some patients, the optimal temperature will be 34-35 degrees, i.e. slightly below body temperature. This temperature will not contribute to the appearance of puffiness, and it is comfortable to perform all movements in it. For patients who need to relax their muscles due to spasms, warmer water is recommended - 37-39 degrees. But it also depends on the condition of the vessels, so it is better to consult in advance.

The total time of one session of several procedures is 25 minutes. You can start from 15 minutes, if it is too difficult to perform some movements, but by the end of the course, go to the allotted time. The number of procedures is from 15 to 25, depending on how quickly improvements come and how the hand develops. After the bath, you can lubricate your hand with a special relaxing cream.

Exercises for a fracture of the elbow joint allow it to return to its previous mobility and almost always restore the patient's ability to work. Rehabilitation measures must be carried out correctly and in full. This is the key to a successful recovery.