If a person does not have health concerns, he does not think about how to behave in case of certain diseases or injuries. Unfortunately, the human body is constantly at risk of injury to the lower extremities of the body. Fractures and bruises of the legs occur especially often in winter, when ice appears. Leg injuries are also associated with professional activities, this often happens to athletes.
Most often, plaster is used for leg fractures. There is a violation of the integrity of the bone under the influence of external factors. Fractures occur from injuries and pathologies. Traumatic fractures explain their name. Pathological bone fractures occur due to diseases: osteomyelitis, osteodystrophy, benign and malignant tumors.
There are open and closed fractures. Open injuries are accompanied by rupture of soft tissues, closed ones - without violating the integrity of the skin.
Leg in plaster
Signs of a broken leg include:
- soreness;
- inability to use the injured limb;
- pathological mobility;
- limited leg mobility;
- unusual leg position;
- the unmistakable sound at the moment of injury.
Open fractures occur, in which the bone is visible. Fractures are complicated by infection, shock, and injury to other organs. The leg bone can be broken completely or partially; with a complete fracture, bone displacement can occur.
Complex cases are considered when a part or a cluster of parts is separated from the bone, one part of the bone enters another, and the limb is flattened. The fragments formed during the injury significantly complicate the course of treatment and subsequent rehabilitation. The type of fracture is determined by a traumatologist using an x-ray examination.
The main task of doctors when healing a fractured limb is to save the patient’s life, restore bone integrity and maintain joint mobility. Plaster casts are made.
Fresh plaster
About lymphedema
Lymphedema is a swelling condition that can develop in the legs after lymph nodes are removed or injured. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures that are located throughout the body. They drain fluid away from different areas of your body. The inability to drain fluid leads to tissue swelling.
During surgery, lymph nodes in your pelvis were removed to get rid of any remaining cancer cells. This increases the risk of developing leg lymphedema. The risk will be higher if you have had radiation therapy or had lymph nodes removed in your groin. If you only have lymph nodes in your pelvis removed, you may be less likely to develop leg lymphedema.
Lymphedema may develop immediately after surgery or years later.
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Application of plaster casts
Plaster casts were first used to treat bone fractures in 1851 and are still considered the main method. The plaster bandage fits well to the body, hardens easily, holds the assembled fragments well, and is easily removed.
Plaster is used to immobilize the leg. The method is used for:
- extensive wounds (to prevent tissue displacement);
- congenital dislocations;
- congenital clubfoot (for the correct formation of the limbs);
- bone cracks;
- joint bruises.
Risk factors for developing leg lymphedema
Risk factors for developing leg lymphedema include:
- weight gain or excess weight;
- infection of the affected leg;
- radiotherapy of the pelvic area;
- reappearance of cancer.
There are other factors that are thought to increase this risk. These include:
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Flying on an airplane.
- Compression of the leg. It occurs when there is a tight ring of pressure in one area of the leg and is often caused by wearing certain clothing.
- Exposure to extreme temperatures.
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How to prevent leg swelling
To prevent swelling, you need to keep the limb in a horizontal position, preferably at a slight elevation relative to the body, and place minimal stress on the sore leg. It is forbidden to remove the plaster yourself. The bandage should be worn for as long as recommended by your doctor.
After removing the plaster cast, it is recommended to wear an elastic bandage to support the injured area. Lubricate the injured area of the leg with nutrients to help restore the injured area. Leg recovery is a long process; after complete recovery, use less physical activity. The doctor will prescribe a specially designed set of exercises for the speedy recovery of the limb.
It is important to monitor your diet, fluid and salt intake. When an injury occurs, motor activity is severely limited and energy consumption is minimal. Excess weight is possible, which will spoil the figure and put additional stress on the injured leg. Salt entering the body promotes fluid retention, which will increase the likelihood of edema. Avoid drinking alcohol; ethanol slows down the recovery process of the limb.
When you receive an injury, competent doctor recommendations and common sense are important in treatment. The set of therapeutic measures is agreed upon with the doctor; self-medication is prohibited! The process of recovery of the lower extremities after injuries is slow. Rehabilitation activities take a longer period of time than treatment. It will take a lot of time and effort to completely restore your leg and return to your normal lifestyle.
Take care of your health. Be careful when performing physical exercises and on ice, watch your health, its condition affects the strength of the body. The consequences of injury can be severe, even fatal. In any case, a simple injury and being on sick leave will not bring pleasure.
How to reduce your risk of developing lymphedema
It is impossible to predict which patients will develop lymphedema, but there are preventive measures to reduce the risk of its occurrence.
Protect your skin
One of the measures to reduce the risk of developing lymphedema is to protect the skin as much as possible from injury or infection. This is because the affected area begins to receive cells that fight the infection, which in turn causes swelling. Your legs may simply not be able to handle the removal of this extra fluid.
Treat cuts and scrapes
- Wash the area with soap and water.
- Apply first aid ointment to it.
- Place a clean, dry gauze pad or Band-Aid® over the top.
Treat burns
- Wrap an ice pack in a towel and apply to the burn for 15 minutes. You can also wash the burn with cold water.
- Wash the area with soap and water.
- Apply first aid ointment to it.
- Place a clean, dry gauze pad or bandage on top.
Watch for symptoms of infection, which include:
- redness;
- edema;
- heating of surrounding tissues;
- sensitivity.
Call your doctor or nurse if you have these symptoms.
Don't wear tight clothes
Avoid wearing tight clothing that leaves deep marks on your legs, such as socks or sweatpants with elastic cuffs. Wear loose-fitting clothing that does not leave marks on your legs.
Compression garments, which prevent severe swelling from occurring, work differently. It ensures uniform pressure on the leg and proper fluid flow through it. You can learn more about compression stockings in the Compression Stockings section of this resource.
Avoid exposure to extreme temperatures
Extreme heat and cold can cause fluid to accumulate in the leg and cause swelling. Avoid or reduce time in hot baths or saunas.
Be careful when flying by plane
If you are at risk for lymphedema, air travel is associated with certain negative factors, including:
- Cabin pressure. The pressure in the cabin of an airplane is usually slightly less than the pressure on the ground. This causes the skin to stretch and fluid to accumulate in the legs.
- Sitting motionless for long periods of time. If you don't move for a long period of time, fluid can accumulate in your legs.
- Lifting and carrying luggage can cause muscle strain.
- Dehydration (when your body does not get the amount of water it needs).
Here are some tips to help reduce your risk of developing lymphedema:
- Buy a seat with sufficient legroom, such as a seat at the front of the cabin.
- Ask for help to carry, lift or remove luggage that is too heavy for you.
- Stand up and walk up and down the airplane aisle if possible.
- While sitting, do simple exercises with your feet and ankles. Exercise throughout the flight will help restore circulation and movement of lymphatic fluid. You can try the following exercises: Point your toes towards the ceiling and then lower them towards the floor.
- Make circular movements with your feet in one direction and then in the other.
Other ways to reduce risk
- Do not give injections (shots) or acupuncture into your affected leg(s).
- Do not use sharp pedicure tools. Use cuticle remover cream and file your nails instead of trimming them.
- Moisturize your skin frequently to avoid flaking and cracking.
- Keep the area between your toes clean and dry to prevent infections.
- Don't go barefoot.
- Make sure your shoes fit your feet to avoid blisters.
- Make sure your toe rings or ankle bracelets fit loosely.
- Try to sit cross-legged as little as possible.
- Choose a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 to protect your skin from sunburn.
- Try not to gain weight, as excess weight is one of the risk factors for developing lymphedema. If you are overweight, try to lose weight.
- Limit your salt intake. Its use can lead to swelling, which will put excess strain on the lymphatic system.
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Disadvantages of plaster casts
However, plaster casts have disadvantages. A leg in a cast may swell. The material is difficult to fix on protruding parts. When compressed with a plaster bandage, the flow of lymph and blood in the limb is disrupted.
Swelling occurs as a result of fluid accumulation at the site of injury. The process occurs due to compression of the veins in the casted limb. To relieve swelling of a casted leg, the limb is suspended on springs to the bed frame. The method is extremely effective. The toes of the injured leg are not cast, so that the patient can, by moving them, train the muscles of the limb, improving blood flow. A small part of the reasons for leg swelling in a cast is given.
Swelling also appears after removing the plaster cast; this occurs due to a disorder in the muscle tissue. As a result of a broken leg, nerves and joints are often damaged, leading to swelling. Doctors consider the problem of swelling after leg injuries to be mainly lymphatic, hence the name lymphostasis. Due to lymphostasis, complications arise: elephantiasis, skin thickening, ulcers. If swelling of the leg appears, regardless of the presence or absence of plaster, you should urgently consult a doctor. Unpleasant pleasant complications are likely.
How to recognize the first signs of lymphedema
After surgery, swelling occurs at the incision site (surgical suture) in all patients. This is normal and will subside a few weeks after surgery.
Swelling caused by lymphedema usually occurs in the lower leg(s). If left untreated, it can spread throughout the leg and all the way to the torso. At first, this swelling may appear and disappear. It may decrease as you lift your leg higher than your chest.
Other early symptoms may include a feeling of heaviness in your leg(s) or a feeling that clothes, socks or shoes are pressing in on you.
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What is swelling after a fracture?
Edema is an accumulation of fluid in the soft tissues of the body. Most often, this problem occurs after a limb fracture.
The cause of edema lies in poor circulation in the affected part of the body. A characteristic symptom is a change in skin color.
Problems with poor circulation can occur immediately after a fracture or during treatment (even after the injured tissue has recovered).
Causes of edema
Many patients with a history of leg injury wonder why the leg swells after a fracture. Most often, the cause is a violation of the production and outflow of lymph. However, it is possible to answer the question unambiguously only after receiving the results of the x-ray. In this case, damage to ligaments, muscles and soft tissues can be diagnosed. A concomitant symptom is thickening of the skin. But such a violation cannot always be detected during the application of plaster.
In some situations, problems arise already during the patient’s rehabilitation. The answer to the question of why the arm swells after a fracture in a particular situation can only be answered using the results of an x-ray. Most likely, tendons or joints were injured during the injury. Even damage to soft tissue can lead to serious problems: hematomas and inflammatory processes, which can significantly disrupt the functioning of the musculoskeletal system.
If you are wondering how to relieve swelling of your arm after removing the cast, then be sure to seek the help of a specialist. In some situations, patients require complex and long-term rehabilitation.
When a leg is broken, there is a greater risk of complications, since the lower limbs are exposed to more stress. If medical care is not provided in a timely manner, there is a danger of “elephantiasis”, in which bone tissue begins to actively grow. The risk of ulcers, fibrosis and cysts also increases.
Methods for relieving swelling after a fracture
If you don't know how to relieve leg swelling after a fracture, seek medical help. Despite the fact that there are traditional methods for treating this disease, consultation with a doctor is still necessary.
Traditional and alternative medicine is more often used to eliminate edema. Depending on your health and the severity of the problem, medications or special procedures that involve the use of physical means in treatment may be prescribed.
Application of ointments, gels and creams
If you do not know how to relieve swelling after a fracture, it is better to turn to traditional methods of treatment, which involve the use of various medications. Such drugs act locally, therefore they are highly effective and speedy in obtaining a positive treatment result.
Various ointments and creams help improve the outflow of blood and lymph. Some medications reduce pain and eliminate swelling of the skin
Ointment for swelling after a fracture most often contains heparin, which not only helps eliminate inflammation, but also affects the structure of the blood, making it more fluid. This feature of the drugs can significantly reduce the risk of blood clots.
Ointments may also contain other auxiliary ingredients to help cope with various problems that arise after a fracture.
A cream to relieve swelling after a fracture reduces the risk of blood clots and effectively prevents blood clotting. It is best to use the drug twice a day. The medicine must be gently rubbed into the skin in the damaged area until completely absorbed. Effective drugs can improve the patient's condition within a few days.
Features of physiotherapy in the treatment of edema
How to remove swelling after a fracture - a physiotherapist can answer this question after reviewing the results of the x-ray.
Depending on the complexity of the problem, a set of physiotherapeutic procedures is prescribed that help eliminate the tumor and do not have a negative effect on the body as a whole. Often these techniques are used in combination with traditional treatment methods. The table shows the most popular physiotherapeutic procedures and descriptions of their effects on the human body.
Attention: The internal data of table “46” is corrupted!
Massage for the treatment of edema
What to do if the leg swells after a fracture - this is a question asked by many patients who have suffered a serious injury or are already undergoing rehabilitation after the removal of the cast. Even after the swelling is eliminated, problems with the leg muscles may arise due to prolonged lack of physical activity. In such a situation, the patient’s muscles weaken and may even partially atrophy.
To prevent such complications, the traumatologist prescribes a course of special massage to the patient. Properly performed procedures can restore muscle elasticity and tone.
The first stage of rehabilitation begins even before the cast is removed. This is necessary in order to prepare the muscles and circulatory system for the upcoming loads. A gentle massage is performed on the areas above and below the fracture.
In case of arm injury, such procedures are also prescribed, but the course of treatment may be significantly shorter due to the absence of large loads on this part of the body.
At the second stage of rehabilitation, the massage therapist performs transverse and longitudinal strokes using the palms, phalanges and fingertips. Transverse, circular and longitudinal rubbing are also performed. It is important to apply moderate pressure to the skin to improve blood flow and restore normal muscle function.
At the third stage of rehabilitation, vibration movements and kneading are added to the massage. Sometimes hardware massagers are used to speed up the achievement of positive treatment results.
Exercise therapy in the treatment of edema
Physical therapy is indicated for patients after a fracture in order to increase joint mobility, normalize muscle tone and blood supply. In the first stage of rehabilitation, the main goal is to restore basic motor abilities. If you want to know how to relieve swelling after a broken arm, check out the following list of exercises:
- knead the plasticine with your fingers;
- press your palms together, gently tilt them forward (it is better to do the exercise while sitting at a table);
- catch balls that bounce off the wall;
- spin several tennis balls in your hands.
Such exercises will allow you to restore the motor functions of your hands and improve their motor skills.
Traditional methods of treating edema
If you want to know how to relieve swelling in your arm after a fracture at home, check out the traditional methods of treatment. This option for recovery after injury involves rubbing various oils, tinctures and decoctions into the affected area, as well as using special compresses.
Blue clay is very useful in the treatment of edema. This material contains nitrogen, kaolinite, titanium, potassium, calcium, chromium, copper, as well as trace elements beneficial to the human body. You need to make a small cake from clay and apply it to the affected area for 40 minutes. Compresses are allowed to be made no more than three times a day.
Fir oil is highly effective in eliminating swelling after fractures. It must be used with extreme caution, as it can cause allergies. It is best to mix fir oil with olive oil to reduce the concentration of biologically active substances.
To carry out the procedure, a small amount of oil must be rubbed into the injury site. It is recommended to carry out the procedure before and after bedtime.
It is also useful to make a decoction based on arnica. To do this, you need to take three tablespoons of the dry plant and fill them with one liter of water. It is recommended to infuse the decoction for 60 minutes. The resulting liquid is filtered with gauze and used as compresses four hours before bedtime.
Other Lymphedema Treatments
There are other treatments for lymphedema. Talk to your doctor or lymphedema therapist about which ones are right for you.
Other treatments for lymphedema include:
- Treatment of scars. Scarring from surgery can make it difficult for your body to eliminate fluid. Scar treatments help soften the area around the scar and make it less tight. It will help drain fluid from your legs.
- Improved posture.
- Using kinesiology tape for athletes.
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How to relieve swelling
To relieve edema, medication and folk methods are used. Traditional ones include the use of creams and gels that improve blood circulation: ichthyol, heparin ointment, lyoton gel. Lymphatic drainage and underwater massage help relieve swelling. Electrophoresis and ultraviolet irradiation are prescribed. Electrical muscle stimulation has a beneficial effect on muscles during edema.
Folk remedies provide great help for swelling after treatment of a broken leg. It is worth applying a cake of blue clay, rubbing fir oil into the skin brings relief to the patient. Make a compress of olive oil to relieve swelling. A compress of chilled black tea, frozen cottage cheese, grated wormwood, and vinegar is an effective method. The juice of a grated onion applied to a swollen area will help not only relieve leg swelling, but also get rid of pain. Fresh plantain leaves promote fluid drainage.
Discomfort due to plaster
Make an appointment
To make an appointment with a lymphedema therapist, contact your healthcare provider. They will decide together which lymphedema therapy is right for you. Once your doctor has made a referral, you will be contacted to schedule an appointment. If you have any questions, call Rehabilitation Service at 212-639-7833.
Lymphedema therapy is provided at several Memorial Sloan Kettering locations. For more information, visit www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/rehabilitation/medicine-therapy.
To find a lymphedema therapist in your area, you can visit the following websites:
Klose Training
www.klosetraining.com
Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy
www.nortonschool.com
Academy of Lymphatic Studies
www.acols.com
Lymphatic Association of North America
www.clt-lana.org
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