When there is a tightening of a muscle, tendon, ligament or skin, which prevents normal movement, the person is said to be suffering from contractures. A contracture is the permanent shortening of muscle with or without pain and the only way of curing a contracture is by preventing it from happening, if it is due to inactivity because of illness or surgery. Correct positioning or using splints can prevent contractures and deformities from spinal cord injuries or fracture. Contractures are difficult to cure; hence daily walks, exercises and a good living style will prevent contractures happening to a great extent.
Contractures can affect any part of the body. Any joint, any muscle or any ligament of the body can be affected and cause stiffness, pain or lack of movement. It develops when the normally elastic tissues are replaced by fiber like tissues which are non stretchable. This prevents smooth movement. Contractures generally occur primarily in the skin, muscles, tendons, underlying tissues, and joint areas. The most common causes are scarring and lack of use. A person may not use all the muscles or tendons if he is inactive or immobilized because of some injury or illness. It can also be a result of injuries like spinal cord damage or stroke or disease of the muscle tendon or ligament.
Symptoms are a significant loss of movement to any specific joint that results in immobility. A physical check up by a doctor, study of medical history of the patient and manual testing of the joint mobility will decide whether the patient has contracture or not and to what extent his muscles or tendons or joints are affected. X rays can confirm the diagnosis to a certain extent. Treatment can be traditional like stretching, yoga, exercises, massage; sometimes heat treatment can maintain motion of the affected part. Machines are available to assist the patient in movements. Sometimes casting or sprinting techniques can help by providing a constant stretch to the soft tissues surrounding a joint. Physical and occupational therapists, family and friends can assist in actively exercising muscles and joints after surgery or stoke or accidents. Inactivity because of paralysis or surgery, which may develop contractures, can be prevented if the family and friends along with the medical fraternity can actively assist the patient in handling his immobility.
If the contracture is severe and does not respond to the conservative methods, surgery under general anesthesia can help. |
