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Fractures Physiotherapy

A fracture is a cracking or breakage in a bone in our skeletal system.

The bone fracture can be a complete fracture or a partial fracture, and other variations are with fractures with dislocations, translocations, impacted, open or closed.

  • Complete fractures refers to fracture that results in two or more different bony pieces.
  • Partial fractures refers to an incomplete fractures eg a crack.
  • Fractured bones with dislocations, translocations or impacted means that the broken bone had broken completely and moved in position.
  • Open fractures refer to the fractured part/bone having pierced the skin and exposed to the open; closed fractures refers to fractured bones that have not punctured the skin surface (are under the skin/structures).

Most of the time, fractures are caused by a sudden trauma or forces that causes loads, stresses or pressurizes the bone more than it can load.

Examples are:

  • motor-vehicle accidents
  • falls especially falling from height
  • direct collision in sports
  • objects hitting a person (eg branch breaking and falling on a body part)

– such as trauma from motorvehicle accidents or falls.

The most commonly fractured areas include

What our physiotherapists, hand therapists and sports massage therapists can do for you

Following a bone fracture, the patient will first be managed/treated by a doctor, who will request for an X-ray before he or she decides on management option, be it conservative (no surgery) or surgery required.

Surgery or not depends on:

  • severity of the fracture
  • location of the fracture
  • age of the patient
  • activity level of the patient
  • pain experience
  • etc

Conservative management of fractured/broken bones can be done with immobilization with casting or splinting (customized splinting is done for you by a senior hand therapist).

Six weeks later or when its medically stable (the managing doctor will advise), then only it’s orthopedically safe to begin therapy, mobilization and active range of motion exercise therapy with senior physiotherapists and hand therapists.

Fractures Physiotherapy

Our senior physiotherapists and senior hand therapists will plan a rehabilitation program factoring the patient’s pain, activity levels, needs and lifestyle.

Using techniques including specific exercises and general fitness programs, therapy goals is to

Our senior physiotherapists can offer advice about positioning of the injured body part/site as well as teach specific exercises to prevent muscles wasting and to prevent stiff joints while still in plaster.

We can also help the patient in sourcing and the appropriate use of crutches and other supportive devices.

Fractures Hand Therapy

The hand therapist often manages and treats fractures to hand, wrist and fingers.

Where appropriate and required, they may also determine to fabricate customized made-to-measure splints for patients who needs the splint for immobilization or supported-movement purposes.

Sports Massage Therapy

Sports massage and deep tissue release massage therapy can be particularly helpful to

  • loosen scar adhesions in a controlled manner
  • release tight muscle knots (also known as myofascial trigger points)
  • stimulate circulation and blood flow following prolonged bed rest