Fracture of scapula: symptoms, treatment, consequences

The humerus is connected to the clavicle with the help of a scapula. In shape, the bone resembles a shovel. This gave the name of the skeleton. Shoulder is a flat bone. It consists of several parts. Depending on what element is broken when the blade is damaged, and therapy will be chosen.

Causes of fractures

This part of the skeleton breaks very rarely. In a year, no more than 1.5% of cases of fractures of the scapula are recorded in comparison with other bones. But this does not mean that this part of the skeleton should be treated scornfully.

Fracture of the shoulder blade entails long-term treatment and difficult rehabilitation. The most common cause of such a trauma is the fall on the back. It is also easy to get a fracture of this species with a direct impact in the area of the scapula.

Sometimes there were cases when this bone broke when stretching the muscles of the shoulder joint. The tension is transmitted in this case to the neck of the scapula, and it breaks under the weight of the bones of the arm. Often with such a problem, athletes who are engaged in throwing the ball. When the arm is brought back deeply, such an injury can occur.

Symptomatic of the disease

Fracture of the scapula is always painful and swollen. When palpation of a part of the body at the bone location, unpleasant sensations increase. With fractures of the neck, sometimes the doctor probes the sharp edges of the bone. With dislocations of the shoulder joint, the edges of the shoulder blade remain semicircular and smooth.

Movement of the affected hand is difficult, and during the attempt to raise it there is a sharp pain. In some cases, bruising occurs at the site of the injury. They often appear on the 2-3rd day.

A recognizable symptom is a swelling in the form of a triangle. On this basis, the doctor will quickly determine the diagnosis. Depending on the type of fracture, the symptoms may change or occur in minimal manifestation.

Fracture of scapula

With this type of injury, deformation of the foreleg is observed. Then a hemorrhage appears. Fracture of the shoulder can be determined with the help of palpation doctor. It easily breaks through the skin. This injury occurs more often from a strong blow from the top down directly over the shoulder. Fracture can carry other complications.

Also, not very often there is a fracture of the beak-like process. In this case, there is an obvious asymmetry of the shoulder-blades. When palpation pain increases. A characteristic place swells. With the strain of the hand or an attempt to perform it, the pain is several times stronger.

The biliary process may shift during a fracture. This occurs when the ligament of the shoulder and collarbone rupture. Together with the fracture of this process, a dislocation of the shoulder is often observed. This is a combined trauma, and the treatment takes place the first 7-14 days in the hospital.

Fracture of cervical spine

This species carries with it complications and long-term rehabilitation. Such a fracture can be with and without bias. The patient more often holds the injured hand healthy and presses it to the chest. In the area of the scapula there is a swelling of the oval form. With a neck fracture without displacement, the patient does not feel pain in the area of the forearm. He responds to palpation with the armpit.

In the case of a fracture of the scapula with displacement, several other symptoms appear:

• The hand is brought forward, and not withdrawn;
• The shoulder joint acquires a spherical shape;
• At palpation the patient complains of pain exactly in the place of impact;
• Passive hand movements are not difficult.

With a complicated fracture of this species, surgical intervention may be necessary. It is used extremely rarely, but it has a 100% need according to the indications.

Any type of injury requires research in the hospital and immediate treatment. The patient feels acute pain when a fracture of the scapula occurs. The symptoms then gradually die out, and the person goes on with the injury further, until he encounters complications of the disease. Therefore, if you suspect a fracture, you need to see a doctor immediately.

First aid

If there was a person with symptoms indicating a fracture of the scapula, then he must be assisted before the arrival of the ambulance or before transportation of the patient to the hospital on his own:

• Give any analgesic in tablets (Analgin, Spazmalgon, Ibuprofen, with intolerable sensations it is allowed to use Ketanov);
• Put a small cushion of cotton wool or a roller of several twisted bandages in the armpit;
• Any cold should be applied to the place of injury (the products from the freezer should be applied through a diaper or sheets so as not to frostbite the skin);
• With the help of a piece of tissue to apply a fixing bandage of the hand, pressed to the chest, so it will be possible to avoid further injury of blood vessels and nerves with bone fragments;
• The patient should be taken to the hospital only in a sitting position.

These rules will help to avoid additional complications and strong painful feelings to the injured person.

Diagnosis of the disease

Fracture of the scapula is very rare, but it can be determined by any traumatologist or surgeon. The patient undergoes palpation of the place of impact, and the reaction and description of the victim's feelings already form a picture of the diagnosis of the doctor.

To confirm the assumptions of the doctor, an X-ray examination is carried out in two projections. Results can 100% confirm or deny a preliminary diagnosis.

Methods of treatment

At any kind of fracture, one must first anesthetize the place of trauma. At home, you need to drink an anesthetic pill. In the hospital they can inject Novokain into the fracture site.

Then a tight bandage is applied with a roller under the armpit. Thus, the patient walks for 3-4 weeks. The restoration of working capacity comes not less than in 5-6 weeks.

In severe cases with combined injuries, surgical intervention is performed. This method is not used so often when a fracture of the scapula is diagnosed. Treatment and rehabilitation after it are more difficult and longer.

Types of immobilization

Fixing the hand in a special position helps to grow the blade in the right way. What kind of immobilization is needed for a fracture of the scapula? Fixation with gypsum is now used extremely rarely.

The modern analogue of such immobilization is much more convenient. The skin beneath it breathes, and there is no intertrigo, especially in the summer. Also, when applying this bandage, the patient experiences less discomfort and pain. The procedure passes quickly. With such a bandage it is more convenient to dress and move around.

Thus, the patient experiences minimal discomfort when wearing. In combination with wearing a dezo bandage, a therapeutic gymnastics for the hand is prescribed. More often it is carried out for the bones of the hand and elbow.

With a fracture of the neck, a slightly different way of immobilization is carried out. The hand is fixed with the help of a retracting tire. When the neck is shifted, the skeletal extension first occurs. This procedure lasts about 4 weeks. After that, the hand is placed on a specially designed pillow, and gymnastics is performed for another 2 weeks. Such treatment is very exhausting for the patient, and rehabilitation is delayed for 5-6 weeks.

Complications after trauma

Fracture of scapula is not as harmless as it seems. During the treatment, a dislocation of the forearm bones may occur. This is due to the inability to hold the head bone of the forearm with the wrench fragments.

During such injuries, cartilage in the shoulder joint suffers. Over time, the patient in this place can develop arthrosis. Fracture with displacement threatens deformation of the scapula. Then this bone can not move freely along the ribs. This is accompanied by pain and an unpleasant crunch.

Surgical intervention can cause:

• Chronic dislocations;
• Muscle atrophy;
• Intercostal neuralgia;
• Stiffness in the movement of the hand.

But if you do not perform an operation on time, the person can completely lose his capacity for work and remain disabled. It is very important to react in time to a fracture of the scapula. The consequences of a negative character will then be reduced to a minimum.

The main period is rehabilitation

Already from the first days of immobilization it is necessary to engage in therapeutic gymnastics. In this case, the fracture of the scapula will not cause any negative consequences. Rehabilitation should be carried out by a specialist. Independently, you do not need to do any exercises, otherwise you can damage damaged bone.

Under the supervision of an experienced physician, you need to do several exercises. Then you can continue the gym at home. You need to start with a few finger exercises. All procedures and loads are performed at a slow pace.

In this period it is necessary to limit the bending and extension of the fingers. You can also perform a circular motion with a brush. Exercises must have a duration of at least 15 minutes. In a day, you need to do 4-5 repetitions.

10 days after the injury, you can start exercises for the muscles of the shoulder. To do this, slow raising of the hand takes place until a small painful sensation appears. Sometimes after 2 weeks of wearing Dezo's dressings, she is changed to a kosynic type of fixation. In this case, the range of exercises can be somewhat expanded.

During the wearing of the Dezo bandage, the doctor can prescribe the passage of physiotherapy procedures. In this case, UHF and magnetotherapy are used. Procedures help to remove the inflammatory process and remove pain. Also, the fusion of bones is much faster.

Recovery after removal of immobilization

In this period, rehabilitation and moderate intensity physical exercises come to the fore. If the rehabilitation is carried out on time and correctly, then the work capacity will be fully restored in a few weeks.

The intensity of the exercises is constantly increasing, and the use of sports equipment is welcomed:

• Balls;
• Wooden and plastic sticks;
• Sports rubber bands;
• Expanders;
• Small rubber balls for exercises of a brush and fingers.

All rehabilitation is aimed at restoring the work of weakened muscles and joints. Welcome classes in the water. Thus, the patient experiences less stress, and rehabilitation can be extended to 40 minutes.

First it is better to do exercises in the bathroom, in warm water. In this case, the muscles are steamed and easier to stretch and contract. After several classes, you can start swimming in the pool or pond in the summer.

Do not first give a strong load on the body. The main goal is the gradual restoration of the work of all groups of muscles and joints.