How to accurately identify a fractured finger and make trauma treatment the most effective

Fingers are our main assistants for performing movements in everyday life and at work.

Left untreated or cured improperly broken finger, can bring a lot of inconvenience to its owner.

Since a person uses fingers in all areas of his life, it is extremely time consuming to describe all situations in which he can injure them.

Anatomy and functions

Fingers are placed on the limbs and serve for of the performance of the tactiles and manipulation functions. Fingers consist of short tubular bones connected by tendons. On the bones are located the muscles for their mobility, as well as small and medium vessels.

Classification of fractures and their characteristics

Fractures are divided into traumatic and pathological.

A traumatic fracture is the damage to the finger bone due to an injury. Pathological fracture is a fracture of the bone, altered pathological process( usually due to some disease).Also, fractures include such types of bone damage, in which the integrity of its structure is impaired.

It can be fractures, cracks and cracking:

1. break can be considered a fracture, the plane of fracture of which affects not more than half the diameter of the tubular bone;
2. with a fracture , the fracture plane affects a large half of the bone diameter, while retaining part of the untouched bone tissue;
3. with cracking bone in all directions is covered with numerous cracks. Usually they arise with a direct massive impact.

According to the nature of the fracture, fractures are divided:

• transverse;
• oblique;
• the comminuted;
• helical;
• longitudinal.

Fractures of the fingers for localization are divided into extraarticular and intraarticular. Extra-articular fractures are localized throughout the bone. And intraarticular fractures, as a rule, are accompanied by a rear dislocation or subluxation.

We will characterize in more detail each of the types of fractures:

• with a fragmentary fracture , there are separately lying small fragments. With such a fracture, surgical intervention with the removal of fragments and a restored bone structure restoration are necessary;
• for longitudinal fractures , the fracture line is approximately parallel to the axis of the injured bone;
• with spiral fractures bone fragments rotate, bone fragments are in a rotated state with respect to their natural position;
• transverse fractures differ conventionally perpendicular to the position of the fracture line with respect to the longitudinal axis of the injured bone;
• oblique fractures differ in the existing plane of the fracture, which runs at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the injured bone.

Fractures are open( initially open and reopened) and closed( incomplete and complete).

A closed fracture in the bone is a complete or partial violation of the integrity of the bone tissue, in which there are no violations of the skin in the fracture region.

Displacements and fragments, their kinds

Both closed fractures and open ones are with a displacement of fragments. Displacements are an integral part of fractures, but they are insignificant.

Offset happens:

• in width;
• in length;
• combined;
• at an angle;
• rotary.

The fragments are divided into two groups:

• primary - under the influence of traumatic force;
• secondary - arising from the interaction of muscle traction and fragments.

Fracture of a specific finger

There is no significant difference in the fracture of one or the other finger. The most common injury of is a thumb fracture of .When he is injured due to pain, it is difficult to distinguish a fracture from a bruise. There are two types of such trauma:

• fracture closer to the base of the finger;
• fracture near the ulnar side of the finger.

Fractures of the little finger, the index and middle fingers do not differ in features. But with a fracture of the ring finger during the rehabilitation period, special exercises should be done to further full use of the finger, since this finger does not carry such a functional load as others.

Signs and symptoms of fracture

Characteristic signs of fracture:

• sharp or aching pain in the injured part of the limb, increasing with palpation or physical exertion;
• spreading swelling or swelling of from the injury site to the entire damaged finger and hand;
• limited mobility - severe pain in the movement of the injured limb, the lack of full extension of the finger or hand compression in the fist;
• hemorrhage at the site of fracture , hemorrhage under the nail plate;
• uncharacteristic finger movement at the site of a possible fracture;
• when you move your finger feel friction and crunch ;
• deformation of the fingers is a sure sign of a closed fracture.

Symptoms characteristic of an injury:

• edema;
• pain;
• hemorrhage under the skin;
• limited movements;
• with open fractures often has bleeding and traumatic shock.

Diagnostic techniques for trauma

Diagnosing a fracture of the phalanx of the finger on the arm, knowing all its signs, is not difficult. But such symptoms as swelling, bruising and blueness of the external skin can not be a fracture, but a banal bruise.

First aid to the injured

The first thing to do when providing the first aid to a victim in case of a fractured finger on the hand is to immobilize the injured finger. To do this, use the bus. With success, you can use any items that are at hand: ice cream sticks, ballpoint pen, tree twig, and to strengthen the tire on the finger of the victim - a bandage or a piece of tissue.

To reduce pain on the injured limb, a piece of ice or some other cold object should be applied.

View of fracture and its treatment

Treatment for a fractured finger with a shift should start with correlating fragments of , later it will help restore the function of the finger, produce a finger reposition under the action of local anesthesia. In the future, impose a plaster bandage, while capturing the entire first finger. The superposition is controlled by the X-ray .

The fragments are usually fixed with knitting needles for three weeks. After this period, the spokes are removed, but the patient walks with a plaster bandage for up to five weeks.

In the case of a fracture of the phalanx of the finger of the hand without bias, the treatment consists in the application of the to the injured finger of the Belera or palmar gypsum tape. On average, the patient walks with her for a month. In these injuries, patients wear gypsum for four to six weeks.

In the case of closed damage to the tendons on the finger, achieves fracture fusion and only then makes the plastic of the broken tendon. The terms of treatment, in this case, stretch for two to three months.

Rehabilitation after injury

Recommended exercises for finger development:

• the patient should shift the grains of rice from one cup to the other with fingers. In this case, one should try to take as many grains as possible without scattering them;The
• exercise is performed in four poses of the : the hand is pressed to the body and bent at the elbow, the arm is extended forward, upward and sideways. In each position, the expander is compressed 10 times;
• the patient sits, placing a palm on the table. One of the phalanxes of the fingers is lifted upwards, as high as possible, without lifting the palm from the table. In this case, the fingers alternate;
• on the finger is worn long , limiting the movement between the third and second phalanx. Performs bending only the first phalanx;
• patient fingers compresses a piece of plasticine , while the middle and first phalanges are straight, and flexion occurs in the metacarpophalangeal joints.
• the patient rolls the plasticine with a brush to the shape of the sausage. In this case, the roll on the palm surface should be uniform, and the fingers must be re-formed. The palm should have a convex shape;
• forearm and the patient's brush are raised upwards , elbow on the table. The thumb touches all fingers one at a time, while trying to make the letter "O".Exercise done for 5-10 reps.

Prevention of fractures

Prevention is recommended to avoid potential injuries, perform any technical work related to the risk of finger injuries in special protective equipment.

After all, to ensure that the bone has grown together, our body needs vitamins, minerals and, of course, calcium. In particular, you should pay attention to products with high content of zinc, manganese, magnesium, folic acid.

On the photo development of the ball after a fracture of the thumb

Zinc promotes the absorption of calcium. Also, calcium works well in combination with magnesium, it can be found in bananas, green vegetables, almonds and dairy products. And of course, one should not forget about beans, cabbage, beetroot, chicken and sunflower seeds, because the folic acid contained in them will help to form correctly the collagenous croaking of bones.

Do not forget about the elementary rules for using various tools and the elementary precaution of .

If the trouble with you has already happened - do not waste time and make every effort to fully treat and rehabilitate in the future.

Try not to drink alcohol during the healing period of your finger, exclude caffeine, tea and chocolate. And remember: a man's fingers, even 20, but each of them represents a value.

Video: Finger fracture operation