Stiffness of the joint following trauma

In an orthopedic practice, physicians come across plenty of cases where patients present with injuries of wrist, ankle, Shoulder, etc. Such conditions are often treated with plasters, bandages, etc, when the fracture is united.

But most physicians forget to tell their patients do proper exercise, and proper movements of the joints. Hence, the patient faces post traumatic stiffness in the joints which require 2 to 3 weeks of rest and treatment to get back to the optimal state of the joint. For instance, wrist injury is the most common one which require 4-6 weeks for recovery. However, if the patients start straining his joint after recovering, it can lead to stiffness.

So, it is very important for the physician to caution their patient regarding stiffness. In the joints, there are soft tissues that aids in the movement. In a fractured joints, the soft tissues are inflamed and damaged. As a result, it needs some time to recover, but straining the joint before the recovery of soft tissue can lead to stiffness.

To get this normal range of movement after fracture, physicians can advise their patients on one proper exercise regimen, or can recommend physiotherapy sessions. This include 3 parts, such as
•    Which exercise to be done
•    When to be done
•    Intensity of the exercise

If the patient is not able to perform the exercise suggested by the doctor after 7 -10 days of recovery, then they should seek immediate help. Stiffness in the joint can be handled with simple techniques, such as
•    Physiotherapy
•    Injections that can relax the muscles
•    Ultrasound that can soften the muscles, capsule, etc.

Issued in Public Interest by Dr.Reddy's Laboratories LTD

The pages slugged ‘Brand Connect’ are equivalent to advertisements and are not written and produced by Forbes India journalists.