title: Rehabilitation in extremity fractures.
abstract: General principles in the rehabilitation of a patient with an extremity fracture include: treat the patient, not the x-ray; move all joints not immobilized; prevent disuse atrophy; use gravity to assist in mobilizing a joint; stabilize proximal joints to avoid reverse action of biarticular muscles; permit early protected weight bearing until adequate joint mobility is achieved; appropriately instruct the patient in a home program, and avoid all stretching.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004551:Elbow Joint; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000534:rehabilitation; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006309:Hearing; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000534:rehabilitation; D007422:Intestines / Q000503:physiopathology; D007719:Knee Joint; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008603:Mental Health; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012785:Shoulder Joint; D012924:Social Conditions; D013060:Speech; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000503:physiopathology; D014785:Vision, Ocular