Fractures and Surgical Fixation

Course overview

Bone fractures affect thousands of Americans each year. The most common causes of bone injuries are falls, followed by motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries and assaults. Although long bone fractures are often results from traumas, more and more fractures are being associated with osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a leading underlying cause of fractures, especially among the elderly. Fracture management can be operative or non-operative. When more conservative techniques are not enough to treat fractures (non-operative) or if the fracture is displaced or angulated, doctors may turn to operative fracture management to position the bone into proper alignment for optimum healing. Rehabilitation considerations after a surgical fixation of fractures are required to restore strength, functional mobility and joint motion. Post-operative complications are correlated with a patient’s health status and/or comorbidities. The success of fracture management following surgical fixation requires proper identification of the type of fracture, selection of the appropriate surgical technique, and development of a treatment plan that addresses impairments and functional limitations. The target audience for this education program is physical therapists and physical therapist assistants, who want to increase their knowledge and improve their ability to manage fractures with surgical fixation.