Rehabilitation (after surgery or trauma)

The duration of rehabilitation after surgery or trauma depends on the size of the fracture and the degree of displacement of the joint. If only a small part has been broken, and it has been displaced by no more than a millimetre, treatment without surgery will suffice. If the thumb has been dislocated too much, surgery will have to be done. Temporary steel pins can be used to hold the bone in place. With over three millimetres of displacement and with a Roland fracture, it must be regarded as unstable.

Rehabilitation

The fracture may take 4 to 6 weeks to heal, after this period the fracture needs rest. In many cases, a hand therapist / physio therapist is called in to supervise the recovery process. Prolonged swelling and movement limitation is common, but should not limit the functional availability of the thumb. Complications such as wound infections or bleeding can occur with any surgery. In the case of bone fractures, special attention is paid to the development of a wound infection. A steady healing of the wound is important for the functional recovery. It can remain stiff for a long time despite several therapists tips. In the long term, painful joint wear is the most important complication. Another complication is the slow or insufficient growth of the fracture. For these reasons, one of our products can be of help. For example, the Super Ortho Thumb Support CMC and the Novamed Thumb Support with Flexible Splints help tremendously with the rehabilitation of the fracture.