Workout

A set of exercises after a hip fracture. The main advice of experts on the development of the leg after a fracture

Orthopedist-traumatologist, surgeon of the first category, Research Institute, 2009

Fractures are extremely common, and in most situations, such injuries occur precisely in the limbs, since it is easiest to break them. If a broken arm heals relatively quickly, although everything depends on the severity of the injury, then everything is not so simple with the leg, because the bones there are quite thick and grow together more slowly. Problems can also arise with the fact that a person begins to try to move independently when he cannot do it yet, therefore, a second defeat can occur, significantly slowing down the fusion process. Athletes are in the main risk group, as well as children who are constantly moving, and people of a respectable age, whose bones are extremely fragile, but an injury can happen in everyday life, no one is protected from this. Let's take a closer look at the question of how to develop a leg after a fracture.

Treatment for such injuries consists of repositioning the bones, if required, and applying a cast to fix the bone. Unfortunately, with such leg injuries, gypsum is often applied for 1.5-2 months, during which the muscles are completely deprived of the possibility of movement and atrophy. They begin to shed less blood, and they do not receive nutrients and oxygen. In some situations, it is even difficult for a person to move his leg after a cast, and yet he has yet to learn how to walk again. During the rehabilitation process, it is important to strictly adhere to the recommendations of the attending physician, who will explain to you what exercises to do and tell you important principles regarding the rehabilitation process. In most cases, it is possible to completely restore mobility to the leg that was injured.

Rehabilitation of the leg always requires a large amount of time, namely more than one month, and this process can take up to six months in case of serious injuries. Much depends on the age of the patient, because in children and adolescents, healing occurs much faster than in people after 40 years, when the bones grow together very poorly.

In addition to analyzing things that can speed up the rehabilitation process, one should also mention what should never be done.

You don't have to hurt yourself in the process of recovery, and it's very easy to do this, because the bones are not yet strong enough (there is a high risk of re-fracture). In no case do not try to run through pain or wear high-heeled shoes, this will definitely lead to sad consequences.

Massage

Massage is indispensable part of rehabilitation after any kind. This procedure is valuable because it allows you to prevent complete muscle atrophy and improve blood circulation. Also, with its help, it is possible to remove the remaining edema. Of course, you can try to massage the limb yourself, but it is best to contact a qualified specialist who will definitely not harm you.

Special preparation is also required for the massage: first, the specialist rubs and warms the skin in the area of injury, after which the following movements are performed:

Rubbing movements are performed with the palm of your hand (without the thumb), and it is important to firmly squeeze the remaining fingers (the specialist can alternate types of rubbing movements);
Now the same rubbing movements are performed, but with the help of the costal part of the arm, and it is necessary to place it across the limb;
Pinching will also help stimulate the process of blood flow to the muscles in the area of the injury.

The list of massage elements, of course, does not end there, only the most significant movements were mentioned. We also mention that the massage should touch the entire area that was in the plaster cast. The fact is that sometimes with a fracture in the lower part of the leg, specialists have to cover the entire limb with plaster.

In most cases, you can start a massage session as early as 5-7 days after removing the plaster cast, but depending on the characteristics of the fracture, the necessary delay in the procedure may increase. It all starts with short sessions, consisting solely of soothing strokes, but gradually the pace of the massage should increase. Most often, experts recommend using cedar oil in the process (many ointments that can be found in pharmacies are significantly inferior to it in effect), which improves the effect without exposing the body to the risk of side effects.

Physical therapy is probably the most significant part of rehabilitation, because it is physical exercises that can help muscles recover.

Gymnastics should be performed daily, only in this case there will be an effect, you can start the simplest physical therapy immediately after removing the plaster cast. Of course, you should start only with the simplest exercises like flexion and extension of the limbs. Here are the main exercises:

Walk more by stepping on your foot. This may seem like a very easy exercise to you, but in fact it is not, because over a long period of time you will simply “forget” walking. It will not only hurt you to step on your foot, but it will also be unusual for you to do it. Even with minor injuries, for many people, giving up crutches is an extremely difficult step. Painful movements will only start to subside if you try to walk, otherwise the motor function will not normalize at all.
Make sweeping movements. First you need to find a relatively high support, then lean on it with your hands and try to start making swing movements with your foot. Try to keep your leg in the air a little. This exercise will help to normalize blood circulation a little.
Do not neglect the simplest exercises. Attention should also be paid to such simple exercises as "scissors" and "bicycle".
Gently bend and unbend the leg at the knee 15-20 times.
In the absence of pain and with permission from the attending physician, squats and some other complex exercises should be performed.

The effect will be only if you begin to perform physiotherapy exercises, but it is important not to overdo it, because you can only make things worse.

After a few months, the specialist will most likely allow you to visit the gym, where you can use the simulator called "bicycle". Swimming is an excellent sport for such injuries, because it involves almost all the muscles of this limb. In no case should there be pain at the fracture site, and all the unpleasant sensations that were mentioned earlier are related exclusively to atrophied muscles.

Proper or even dietary nutrition is another important part of the rehabilitation process. The fact is that for proper fusion and further restoration of limb functions, macroelements, microelements, as well as proteins and vitamins are necessary. The greatest emphasis should be placed on calcium and silicon, since they are able to strengthen bones and help in the restoration of cartilage. Here are the main foods that are recommended to include in the diet:

Fish, but it must belong to low-fat varieties;
Fresh fruits and vegetables;
Nuts and bran;
Dairy products.

Food should contain a small amount of fat, you should also not eat fatty and salty foods, smoked meats and semi-finished products must be abandoned without fail. Coffee and carbonated drinks are exactly what contributes to the removal of calcium from the body, therefore, their use must be reduced to zero.

Medications

Obviously, no pills or ointments will help the bones grow together faster, but medications can still be used in the rehabilitation process. The fact is that some of them are able to have positive effects of a different kind, for example, relieve pain or reduce the remaining swelling.

Nevertheless, there are means that can stimulate the body to more rapidly fuse bones. Of course, we are talking about vitamin complexes. With their help, you can easily make up for the lack of nutrients in the body, and you can also fight the consequences of an injury that has occurred.

Local therapies are also sometimes prescribed after the removal of the cast, their main goal is to reduce pain in the muscles. There are also ointments based on chondroitin or glucosamine, which can slightly strengthen damaged bones and even restore cartilage tissue. Some creams have a cooling or, conversely, warming effect.

As already mentioned
Previously, it is impossible to completely eliminate the occurrence of fractures, but preventive measures will help you reduce the risk of such an injury.

Here are the main ones:

Stick to proper nutrition. The diet of any person should be balanced and compiled by professionals. It should contain food that contains a sufficient amount of calcium that can strengthen bones. The food should also contain other macronutrients, micronutrients, protein and vitamins. You should not go on diets, as the diet should be complete, but you should not eat harmful foods.
Start playing sports. As mentioned earlier, the best option would be to attend classes in the pool, but not everyone has such an opportunity due to the small number of such sports centers in small towns. You need to attend those classes that the attending physician will approve, and a thorough warm-up must be carried out before them. It is important that such activities do not exhaust you, but simply keep your body in good shape, as serious loads will only make it worse.
Give up bad habits. Alcohol is a poison, and a habit such as smoking can have a negative impact on almost all systems of the human body. Bones in this case are no exception.
Have a good rest. Rest is no less important than sports, as the body must fully recover. And it's not just about sleep, you should pay attention to walks in the fresh air and, for example, yoga.

In the event of fractures associated with the lower extremities, medical care should always be provided as quickly as possible.

The fact is that even a slight slowness can significantly worsen the fusion process and slow down rehabilitation in the future. But if you quickly get to the doctor and follow all his recommendations in the process of treatment and rehabilitation, then the chances of a complete restoration of the functions of the limb will be extremely high.

No one's legs are safe. It happens that after the fusion of bone tissue, the limb loses its mobility. Physical therapy is recommended for recovery.

Candidate of Medical Sciences, sports medicine doctor, orthopedist, traumatologist. Medical Center "Dobrobut"

If we talk about rehabilitation, it is desirable to mobilize the injured limb as early as possible, but after agreement with the doctor.

The basis for the treatment of all fractures, especially in the first days and weeks, is the minimum mobility of the injured limb and its fixation in an elevated position. However, the lack of movement, as a rule, negatively affects blood circulation, contributes to the development of rigidity of its muscular apparatus, which leads to impaired functionality of the limb. According to the recommendations of the attending physician, rehabilitation measures begin.

The term “rehabilitation measures” refers to a whole range of recovery procedures, selected individually, depending on the severity of the injury and violations in the soft tissues both during the fracture itself and during the period of bone fusion.

Physiological methods of limb recovery

The course is aimed at maximum restoration of the normal functioning of the circulatory system, the return of motor functions and a person's ability to work. It may include the following procedures:

exercise therapy(physiotherapy) ,

taking certain nutritional supplements

electromyostimulation(for prevention, in some cases it can be carried out even at stages when movement is prohibited),

ultrasound,

electrophoresis,

TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation),

shock wave therapy,
special physical exercises on simulators,

acupuncture,

mineral and "pearl" baths,

What is used in the first days after the fracture?

Traumatologist Viktor Kotyuk recommends applying dry cold to the injured limb (3-7 times a day) for the first 2-3 days both through the soft part of the splint, gypsum, and directly to the skin. To avoid frostbite, the time of exposure to the skin should not exceed 5-7 minutes. If cooled through a plaster cast, it can take more than an hour.

Thermal procedures for any injuries are applied no earlier than after 10-14 days. With fractures - later.

Fracture with crushing of the bone, including with the displacement of its fragments, the rehabilitation period is longer than with an unburdened closed fracture. This is due to the fact that a complex fracture requires a longer period of immobile fixation of the limb for the formation of a bone callus at the site of injury. This means that the consequences of the lack of movement can be significant.

If the leg bone is destroyed in several places, then doctors do not recommend unnecessarily overloading the limb.

Performing these simple, very effective exercises will help you recover as soon as possible after the operation and regain the joy of lightness of walking and forget illnesses forever.

The maximum clinical and aesthetic result is achieved only with an integrated approach to solving this problem. To achieve the best result, we strongly advise you to follow all our recommendations aimed at restoring all the functions of the operated limb, and not doing them can lead to repeated deformation of the foot. It should be understood that the occurrence of deformities occurs under the influence of many factors, including due to the weakness of muscle tone in the area of the foot and ankle joint, and that is why all exercises are aimed at strengthening it, to prevent possible complications in the postoperative period. It must be understood that the operation is only one of the stages on the path to success. The recovery process directly depends on your perseverance and desire to return to your usual way of life as soon as possible. During the execution of the correct movements, blood flow throughout the body is accelerated, more oxygen is delivered to tissues and organs, and the process of wound healing is faster. Exercise after leg surgery is the most important part of the recovery process.
If during the rehabilitation process, when doing exercises, you experience any difficulties, be sure to consult your doctor.

In the first two weeks after the operation, you can move independently in special orthopedic postoperative shoes, without using any additional support methods for walking, but you should not give excessive physical exertion. Your foot needs rest, for the speedy healing of the postoperative wound, you should also give an elevated position to the operated limb several times during the day, apply ice (to reduce the flow and reduce pain) until the stitches are removed. And for the prevention of postoperative complications, it is desirable to wear compression stockings.

After the stitches are removed, you should begin to perform exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles in the foot and ankle joint, as well as in order to remove stiffness in the area of the first metatarsophalangeal joint.

Exercise should be done every day, it will help you develop your thumb, strengthen your muscles, prevent adhesions and speed up the recovery process. Before performing the exercises, it is necessary to warm up the operated limb by walking, warm foot baths or self-massage.

Gymnastics

You should start doing gymnastics with moderately intense exercises, as indicated in the figure.
All exercises should be performed until you feel discomfort and slight resistance. Hold your finger in each position for ten seconds. Each of these exercises must be repeated three times. This type of exercise should be repeated two or three times a day.

Gymnastics for the foot

Pump exercise.

Move rhythmically, but not quickly, with your foot up and down, contracting the muscles of the lower leg. Perform this exercise for two to three minutes, 2-3 times per hour.

Exercise "pump"

Towel slip.

Place a small towel on the floor, and drag it towards you, while doing a caterpillar motion with your fingers. This exercise can be made more difficult by placing any heavy object on the towel.
Relax and repeat this exercise 5 times.

Towel slip

Picking up objects from the floor.

Place any small objects (balls, sticks) on the floor, grab the object with your toes, lift and move this object to the side and put it back on the floor.

Picking up objects from the floor

Plantar flexion of the leg, in the ankle joint.

Throw a small towel over your foot, and pull it towards you until you feel discomfort, and hold your foot in this position for 20-30 seconds, then rest and repeat 10-15 more times.

You stand facing the wall, your healthy leg in front, slightly bent at the knee. The sore leg is half a step behind, straightened, the foot fully touches the floor and the heel and toes. The toes should point slightly inward. Keep your heels off the floor and move your hips towards the wall. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, and then rest for another half a minute. Repeat the exercise.

This exercise is very helpful for everyone. Perform it not only with the operated leg, but also with a healthy one. It improves blood circulation in the legs and forms the correct arch of the foot. To complete it, you will need a small ball, such as the one shown in the picture, or a regular tennis ball. It is necessary to roll the ball with the whole foot, and not just its front section.

Don't exercise through pain A: You should not feel any pain while exercising. If you experience pain, consult your doctor.

Feel free to ask: if you are not sure about the correctness of the exercises or doubt whether this load is enough for you, ask your doctor.

And other diseases after the operation, the implementation of these simple, but very effective exercises will help you recover as soon as possible after the operation and regain the joy of lightness of walking and forget about the disease forever.

It involves the use of several methods: physiotherapy, massage and rubbing, special gymnastics, as well as diet and vitamins.

What problems does rehabilitation solve?

To restore the former working capacity of the limb, the following problems must be solved:

restore atrophied muscle mass;
restore blood circulation of blood vessels;
get rid of congestion with swelling;
improve the working activity of the joints;
increase the supporting and motor ability of the leg.

Massage and rubbing

These procedures help to eliminate improper transformation of muscle tissue, restore lymph outflow and natural blood flow. No rehabilitation should take place without the recommended rubbing and massage.

Rubbing gradually relieves puffiness, strengthens the tone of weakened blood vessels. For them, various massage fluids and regenerating oils, such as cedar oil, are used. Ointments are often used, which can be warming or cooling, anti-inflammatory, decongestant, or analgesic. For each individual case, the appointment is made by the attending physician.

The use of different types of massage accelerates blood circulation, which increases the blood supply to the walls of blood vessels and tissues, improves metabolism. Massaging and stroking techniques restore the former elasticity of the muscles, increase overall muscle tone, and contribute to the fastest possible recovery of the patient.

Massage is carried out on the injured and healthy limbs. It is used depending on the severity of the injury and its location, sometimes in the first days of the fracture (if closed). Self-massage is also acceptable, but only under medical supervision.

Physiotherapy recovery method

To shorten the recovery period, improve the well-being of the body after surgery, the following physiotherapy is used:

application of the Sollux lamp;
medicinal electrophoresis;
exposure of the skin to ultraviolet light;
therapy with interference currents.

Warm compresses and baths are of great benefit for restoring the functioning of the leg. For the latter, a certain herbal composition is used, sea salt (100g / 1l of water). For heating - paraffin, ozocerite. It is also recommended to use the natural method of magnetotherapy, especially for the elderly or the most debilitated patients.

Important: physiotherapeutic methods play an important role in rehabilitation, such procedures are most favorable for preventing complications.

Therapeutic restorative gymnastics

After the above procedures, the muscles are warmed up, so the next step will be rehabilitation after a broken leg at home. Appropriate physical exercises are aimed at the development of the musculoskeletal system. At first, pain is felt in the damaged area, so be sure to correctly calculate the load, do not do all the exercises at once.

List of required exercises:

Do flexion and extension with each leg 12 times (helps strengthen muscles).
Place the weight of the body first on both legs, and then stand on the injured leg as long as possible.
Often walk, leaning on the injured limb.
Holding on to a support, swing your leg with a delay in the air. Mahi are performed first forward, and then to the side - 10 times with each leg.
Leaning on something, do rolling from toe to heel. You can try this exercise with one leg.
After a while, if there is no pain in the leg, you can go to squats - 10 times.
Lying on the floor, perform the exercise "scissors".
After about a week, you can try to rotate your foot while sitting or standing.

After a month, you can start exercising in gyms, for example, every day for 10 minutes it is useful to use a bicycle simulator. Swimming is also helpful. It must be borne in mind that any training should not provoke the appearance of pain in the damaged area.

Important: rehabilitation after a displaced leg fracture deserves special attention. It is necessary to apply all recommendations with extreme caution so as not to disturb the correct splicing of previously displaced fragments.

Vitamins and diet

It is not necessary to neglect a healthy and balanced diet without injury. But in order for rehabilitation after a broken leg to be faster, it is necessary to follow a certain diet.

Healthy foods include:

Foods containing calcium are milk and cottage cheese, fish products, nuts (especially forest nuts), bread products with the addition of bran. Vegetables are green, and fruits are persimmons.
For the absorption of calcium, foods with silicon are needed - turnips and radishes, currants, raspberries, pears, cauliflower.

Weakened in the postoperative period, the body lacks vitamins and useful trace elements. The most important of them is vitamin D. It contributes to the proper absorption of calcium by the body.

Important: you need to consult with your doctor about which vitamin complex to choose.

Features of rehabilitation after a fracture of the toe

Recovery after that is a little different. Massage is aimed at strengthening the muscles of the foot. When doing therapeutic exercises, you should not heavily load the foot, so as not to lead to a second fracture, simple walking is useful. The patient is recommended to wear a special orthopedic insole during the recovery period. It is important to give the finger time to heal. Otherwise, trouble may happen - it can give.

Features of rehabilitation for a broken leg in a child

Rehabilitation of a child after a leg fracture has certain features. In addition to physiotherapy, massage and therapeutic exercises, the restoration of the child's psyche plays an important role. Due to a sharp decrease in the child's motor activity, it is necessary to provide a lot of positive emotions, care and support from parents. It is not recommended to narrow the living space and limit the child in communicating with friends.

The required rehabilitation time after a leg fracture is from one to four months. The specific period depends on the complexity of the injury, possible complications, the age of the patient, the presence of additional diseases. The fastest healing occurs in children and adolescents, starting from the age of 40, the recovery process slows down.

The treatment of fractures can be divided into two stages: the period of wearing a cast and the recovery course. Rehabilitation after a broken leg at home refers to the second stage. During the time spent in the cast, the muscles partially atrophied and lost their tone. An individual rehabilitation course will help to quickly and effectively develop a leg after a cast.

If we are talking about recovery at home, this does not mean that you can do without observation by the attending physician and his consultations. The development of the leg will require regular and consistent implementation of the necessary procedures, endurance and patience. The course of rehabilitation and its duration depend on the severity of the injury. After a fracture of the tibia, for example, you will need to wear a special splint. It is applied to fix the bone until it is completely fused. During the procedures, the splint can be removed.

Pain in the leg during exercise is a normal reaction of the body to stagnation in muscle tissue. Properly selected training loads and compliance with all doctor's prescriptions will speed up the recovery process. Otherwise, everything can end in serious health complications.

Stages and goals of rehabilitation after a leg fracture at home

Massage.
Therapeutic physical culture (LFK).
Necessary diet and daily routine.

After removing the cast, all actions should be subordinated to one task - to restore the lost motor abilities to the leg. For this you need:

Remove puffiness due to insufficient blood circulation while the leg is in a cast.
Restore muscle mass after a long absence of physical activity.
Achieve the necessary mobility of the joints and feet.

Recovery methods after a broken leg and special exercises

Recovery after a fracture requires an integrated approach.

You need to start training after warming up the muscles with the help of a special compress or massage.
You need to increase the load slowly.
In case of severe pain that occurs during training, the session must be stopped.

The therapeutic method of exercise therapy is divided into general strengthening loads (walking) and special exercises aimed at restoring joint mobility. You need to practice walking as often as possible, each time increasing the support on the injured leg. Special exercises:

Rotational movements of the foot.
Rolling from heel to toe and back.
Flexion and extension of the toes and rolling of the foot on the roller. This exercise is recommended after a broken foot.
Holding hands on the support, swing the leg in different directions. Try to hold the limb at the top of the movement.
Lying on your back or sitting on a chair, do the exercise "scissors".