How to treat the sequelae of rib fracture

The sequelae of rib fractures mainly refer to some complications that exist after the fracture heals, including joint stiffness or partial limitation of joint movement, so attention should be paid to correctly repairing the injured part and fixing the fracture site.

1. Sequelae of rib fracture

Fracture sequelae refer to the complications that remain after fracture treatment or fracture healing. Common complications include joint stiffness or ankylosis. Joint stiffness is partial limitation of joint movement, while ankylosis is complete limitation.

2. Causes and treatment of sequelae of rib fracture

1. Damage repair

Joint stiffness or ankylosis is related to the severity of fracture injuries (including soft tissue injuries around the joints). High-energy violence (such as motor vehicle running over or collision) has serious consequences. Fractures and soft tissue repair form a large amount of fibrous tissue and scar tissue, and even cartilage or bone tissue (such as myositis ossificans). The same tissue formation also occurs in the healing of surgical trauma.

2. Unstable fracture fixation

That is, the fixation is not secure, and the broken ends move to form more fibrous scar tissue.

3. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome

It is a reflex neurotrophic disorder caused by trauma, osteoporosis, atrophy, and joint stiffness. In addition, activities under unstable fixation that aggravate inflammatory response are common and important iatrogenic causes. Therefore, functional training under the premise of stability is worth promoting.

4. Improper functional exercise

Treatment should be prevention-oriented. First of all, stable fixation should be ensured, and functional exercises should be actively performed on this basis. Avoid forced movement or violent massage, otherwise it will hurt the joints, aggravate the injury-repair inflammatory response, and cause more severe adhesions and joint stiffness.

5. Malunion

For example, abnormal healing of fractures affects function, such as forearm radius and ulna fractures affecting the forearm rotation function, especially the supination function. Malunion of tibia and fibula fractures with angle or rotation causes uneven stress distribution in the knee or ankle joint, resulting in traumatic arthritis. Patients should consult a specialist and consider corrective or plastic surgery after weighing the pros and cons.