A fracture around any joint, leads to stiffness of the concerned joint. Rehabilitation of post traumatic stiffness is big deal for the rehabilitation team even after the fracture is healed. Hence I am interested in knowing the biochemical changes during immobilization period that result in stiffness.
Hi. I feel, in periarticular fracture healing the chemical changes being made by osteoblast and osteoclasts (remodelling) leads to inflammatory changes. These inflammatory changes leads to stiffness of joint. The immobilisation may decrease the vascularity of tissues of around joints and this hypoxia may again lead to inflammation
Hello. Since that stiffness is greatly dependent on how long the joint is immobilized or in restricted amplitude of motion, I'd say that lack of stimulation (stretch) is one important pathophysiological factor
Perhaps more relevant is the learnt protective system, limiting ROM as pain avoidance, rather than chemical tissue changes generating ROM limitations?
perhaps inflammatory changes increase pain perception so limit, via gaurding, ROM.
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