Lecture 24- Upper Limb Soft Tissue Disorders Flashcards
Skeletal muscle function
- enable us to move
- convert body’s chemical energy into a physical contraction
Tendon function
- binds muscle to bone
- transmit force between muscle and bone
- enable muscle belly to be at a convenient distance from joint
Ligaments function
- bind bone to bone
- stabilise joint
- hold skeleton together
- transmit load from bone to bone
Enthesis function
- binds tendon/ligament to bone
- stable anchorage to the skeleton
- protects bone attachment sites to bone by dissipating stress
Bursa function
- cushions locates at points of friction
- DEEP: allow muscles to glide over each other and over prominences of bone
- SUPERFICIAL: cushions between skin and bone
Acute injury definition
- usually occurs from a known incident
- definite moment of onset
- signs and symptoms develop rapidly
- relatively predictable pattern of events
Bruise/contusion
- acute soft tissue injury of blood vessels
- direct force applied to the body resulting in compression and bleeding into soft tissue
Muscle/tendon injury
- strain: acute soft tissue injury
- muscles over stretching or contracting too quickly, resulting in a partial or compelte tear of the muscle and/or tendon fibres
Are muscles or tendon most commonly damaged in acute injuries?
MUSCLES
- tendons are much stronger
- damage is usually to muscle belly or musculotendinous junction
- tendons weaken with age, medication and comorbidities
Grading of soft tissue injury
- Grade 1: minimal tear
- Grade 2: partial tear
- Grade 3: complete tear
Sprain
- ligament acute soft tissue injury
- joint forced beyong normal ROM -> results in overstretching and tearing of ligament that supports the joint
Bursa injury
- aseptic: direct blow or fall -> hemarthrosis (eg Gout)
- Septic: dangerous. Insect bite or cut/abrasion. Hematogenous spread
Healing response of soft tissue
- bleeding: hematoma
- inflammatory: remove debris, recruit repair cells
- Proliferation: fibroblast collagen synthesis
- REmodelling: organisation of scar tissue
RICE THERAPY
- first 2 days
- Rest
- ice 20 min 4-8 times a day
- compression to reduce swelling
- elevation above heart -> reduce swelling
Rehabilitation phase
- restore ROM, strength, flexibility
- graded exercise program
- surgery for grade III
- depends on extent and type of injury
Time needed for full recovery
- mild sprain/strain: 3-6 weeks
- moderate: 2-3 months
- severe: 8-12 months
Chronic disorders definition
- insidious onset
- develops and worsens over time
- persists for >3 months
- may occur as a result of repetitive load or stress (microtrauma)
Healthy tendons
- brilliant white color
- high mechanical strength
- good flexibility
- dry mass 30%, water 70%
- mostly collagen type I
Changes in tendinosis
- disorganised collagen
- cellularity of rounded tenocytes
- switch to majority of type III collagen
Supraspinatus injury
- abducts arm at the shoulder joint during the first 10-15 percent
- pulls humerus medially against glenoid fossa
- empty can sign
Infraspinatus/ teres minor injury
- external rotator and adductor of shoulder
- ask to asct like a penguin
Subscapularis
- internal rotation
- pulls humerus forward and downward
- ” scratch your back”