Features of fracture of the scapula

Fracture of the scapula - injury are quite rare and may be due to a fall on the back or arm. Often this fracture is accompanied by damage to the ribs or clavicle. Shovel called the steam room bone, which is located on the rear surface of the chest, left and right of the spine. This bone allows the movement of the human hands and part of the upper shoulder girdle.

Causes of injury

Although this fracture belongs to the rare, it is quite heavy and dangerous. The damage you can get if you fall on the arm or back, and as a result of direct impact on the scapula.

In addition, fracture of the scapula can happen during sports training or in an accident.

The scapula is the mobile bone and is surrounded by many muscles that protect it. That's why for such injuries requires a large external force. It may be accompanied by associated injuries.

In accordance with the order in which parts of the bone was broken, klassificeret the following damage:

• fracture of the body or angle of the bone;
• fracture;
• the scrapping of the articular process (the joint of the shoulder is formed by the connection of scapula and head of shoulder bone);
• fracture of the acromion, or the coracoid process.

Fracture of the scapula help to determine the symptoms that appear after injury:

• the appearance of swelling at the injury site;
• the victim feels pain at the slightest movement or palpation of the injury site;
• you can hear the crunch of the bone fragments;
• deformity of the shoulder joint, one shoulder if it becomes below the second (about the deformation it is possible to speak only if there is a fracture with displacement);
• there is a limitation of motion of the shoulder joint;
• if the victim breathe deeply, you may experience pain;
• it is sometimes possible in the armpit to probe the edges of the damaged bone.

Since such damage can be affected or broken, and other bones, sometimes the diagnosis of fracture of the scapula is very difficult and may not be immediately identified. If there are consequences of injury (the arm pain, anaemia extremities, shortness of breath), the victim should be hospitalized as soon as possible.

Diagnostic features

The danger of such injuries is that it is often accompanied by other injuries. All the doctors ' efforts can be directed at eliminating those injuries that threatenthe life of the patient. As a result, fracture of the scapula can be diagnosed with a time delay, so that the blade can adhere with some offsets.

The diagnosis of fracture of the scapula may be raised when conducting x-ray studies in both front and rear projections. Sometimes these fractures may be accompanied by blood in the joint. In the diagnosis of these cases applied the ultrasonic method.

The rendering of first aid

As with other fractures, timely assistance to the victim until the ambulance, to help the patient. Decrease pain, further nerve damage is prevented, and the treatment of trauma will be more effective. You first need to immobilize the arm from damage. For this purpose, suitable scarf, scarf, piece of cloth or a special bandage. Under the arm of the victim must be put to the roller.

To soothe and reduce the pain the victim give any anesthetic. After these events the patient must be immediately taken to the hospital in a sitting position. Self-reset is prohibited. Timely assistance until the arrival of the doctor will allow the patient to avoid further serious complications.

Proper treatment of the fracture

As with any fracture, treatment begins with the fact that the victim injected anesthetics. If the injury is not accompanied by the presence of fragments, the patient can do without surgical intervention. Fractures of the body of the scapula, the coracoid process and the acromion treated by bandaging Desault or her version in the modern version, which is not take about 1 month.

If there has been trauma to the neck or a joint, immobilize the patient's armband with the use outlet of the tire.

In more serious injury to the neck offset to the patient applies the method of skeletal traction. 1 month after the break with fasten gypsum. The patient walks with this fixing bandage for 4 weeks.

If skeletal traction has not given the desired result, then the operation is. The surgeon fixes the fracture site all sorts of metallic devices (needles, bolts, staples, cats). After surgery on the damaged place a plaster for 3-4 weeks. Foreign objects are removed after a few months, and sometimes years.

Possible complications

Trauma to the shoulder blades, if you do not deal with rehabilitation leads to partial loss of range of motion of the hand. The consequences can be different:

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1. If demolition occurred in the articular junction with the shoulder, then, because of the impossibility of holding an injured joint bones of the shoulder are frequent dislocations.
2. Because of damage to the cartilage can develop osteoarthritis.
3. Fracture in the future provokes dislocations.
4. Fracture with displacement may cause deformation of the blade and the obstruction of its movement by the ribs. Hence the appearance of pain at the movement and crunch.
5. After surgery and a long stay in plaster often there is muscle atrophy.
6. Stiffness.

The resulting complications are difficult to treat, but need to avoid their further development.

Rehabilitation after a fracture

After treatment of a fracture, a period of rehabilitation.

To fully restore movement and eliminate undesirable consequences rehabilitation plays a pivotal role. The main activities is a complex recovery exercise.

After carried out all medical actions and the fracture site is fixed, the very next day, you can begin physical therapy under the supervision of a physician. At the initial stage, the complex physical therapy involves the fingers, wrist and shoulder. After 2 weeks, the complex has rotating exercises for the hand.

If a retentive bandage when the fracture involves the presence of the bus, despite this, physiotherapy is also prescribed already on day 2 after injury. The complex contains exercises for fingers, wrist, and elbow. After removing the tire the victim can begin the set of exercises that will allow him to restore the shoulder joint, moving in different directions.

After the final splice of the fracture physical therapy exercises should be continued. They will be aimed at full recovery of muscle strength and range of motion. Exercise is burdened by the use of gymnastic sticks, dumbbells. The load on all phases of physical therapy is increasing gradually. The complex is prescribed to the patient, is performed regularly, 5 times a day.

Although the fracture of the scapula and is a severe injury with prolonged treatment (sometimes even with surgery), a full recovery is possible. On time and quickly provided aid reduces the risk of further complications.

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Correct method of treatment and the complexes of physical therapy provide a full return of the patient to normal life.