Marvin is a healthy, active 36-year-old who belongs to a martial arts club. Once a week he takes lessons in Judo, and on the weekends, he participates in local competitions. At his last competition, Marvin was paired with a skilled participant from another club. His rival threw him to the mats, and as Marvin struggled, came down hard to pin him down. Marvin heard a snap, followed by instant pain in his left forearm. Radiographs at the local hospital confirmed he suffered a transverse fracture of the distal aspect of his left ulna.
- What are the typical signs and symptoms of a fracture? Why shortly after the injury does the pain temporarily subside?
- How does a hematoma form, and what function does it serve in the process of healing a fracture?
- Marvin was told he would be seeing a physiotherapist as his healing progressed. What are the muscular and joint changes that occur during immobilization and the ways Marvin and his physiotherapist can work to address these changes?