[Health Lecture] How to actively recover at home after limb injuries? How to achieve "100 days to recover"?

In order to ensure the popularization effect of learning health knowledge in the 3rd China Elderly Health Knowledge Competition, the organizers have collected various health science articles suitable for elderly people to learn from various hospitals. We will share them through the "Health Lecture Hall" column. Today, Qiu Zhi and Wei Zhongna from Beijing Jishuitan Hospital and Guizhou Hospital brought relevant popular science articles on how to actively recover at home after limb injuries. Elderly friends are welcome to learn.
As the saying goes, "It takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone", but if you don't do scientific rehabilitation exercises after a broken bone, it will take more than a hundred days. Especially for the elderly, the recovery time may be much longer than a hundred days. Therefore, patients often ask orthopedic or rehabilitation doctors: "How to actively do rehabilitation exercises at home after limb trauma (fractures and soft tissue injuries such as ligaments and tendons)? When and how to actively move?" We recommend: "3, 4 do not step on or lift heavy objects, and move lightly within a fixed range; 6, 8 step on and lift lightly, remove protection and move frequently; 12 do not crutches and lift more heavy objects, walk, run and jump fast if it does not hurt". The details are as follows:

3 weeks ago: Generally, the injured part is protected with plaster or brace, and some fractures are fixed with metal pins. During this stage, rest is the main thing to do and protect the injured part. It is recommended to use a wheelchair while wearing a lower limb plaster or brace. If you wear an upper limb plaster or brace, you also need to use a shoulder sling for protection and fixation.

After 3 to 4 weeks: It is still not recommended to step on the ground with the injured lower limbs, and it is still not recommended to hold things with the upper limbs. Generally, fibrous callus will form 3 weeks after the fracture, and the fracture will not be easily displaced. After that, active activities of the joints near the injured part can be actively started. Hard callus will begin to form 4 weeks after the fracture, and then the injured part can be slightly moved within the allowable range of fixation and protection. Generally, soft tissue injuries reach initial stability after 3 weeks of protection, and slight activities within the pain-free range are conducive to further repair of the injury.

After 6 to 8 weeks: At this stage, most fractures can achieve clinical healing, and most injured soft tissues can recover to a good strength. The injured lower limb can start to step lightly on the ground, and the injured upper limb can start to hold lighter objects. The plaster, brace or metal pin internal fixation can be removed, the injured part can be actively moved, and the range of motion of the joint can be restored as much as possible.

After 12 weeks: Most fractures and soft tissue injuries have recovered, and the patient can walk without crutches and lift more heavy objects for strength training. The patient can walk fast or even jog without causing pain, but the activity should be gradual to avoid further injury.

There are slight differences in the recovery process for individual diseases. If you have any questions or discomfort during the recovery process, please seek medical attention in time.

About the first author:

Qiu Zhi, attending physician, master's degree candidate, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guizhou Hospital, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. Currently a member of the Spine and Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Professional Group, Science Popularization and Health Education Working Committee, China Medical Education Association. Specializes in exercise prevention, conservative treatment and postoperative rehabilitation of orthopedic diseases. Sports injury assessment and conservative treatment. Screening and conservative treatment of adolescent scoliosis. Rehabilitation of motor dysfunction in the elderly. Rehabilitation of central and peripheral nervous system diseases.