The reason that causes joint stiff is summarized for:

Bacterium: Such as the stiffness of joints caused by suppurative arthritis and bone tuberculosis; Sterility: such as long-term plaster fixation, incorrect internal fixation of steel needle, and internal fixation of steel plate can lead to joint ankylosis.

Surgical trauma, bruise can not be timely treated, swelling, not timely exercise after fracture healing, etc. Those are the culprits causing stiffness of the joint.

When the joint is stiff. One should start active joint function exercise actively and ASAP in order to make hard joint restore function early.

There are several methods of functional exercise:

1) Body therapy: it can maintain or improve the range of motion of rigid joints, prevent muscular atrophy, enhance the elasticity of ligaments, increase muscle strength and improve the flexibility of joints in several ways. 

2) Isometric muscle contraction, which is called "tension". Especially after fracture reduction and fixation, or joint swelling and pain color ring activity, feasible many times a day related to muscle contraction and tension exercise to facilitate the recovery of injury, avoid joint stiffness.

3) Passive exercise: it is suitable for patients with reduced ligament elasticity and adhesion of muscles around joints. During the operation, the patient should relax as far as possible, and the surgeon should help the stiff joints to move, but it is strictly forbidden to be rough and simple, and the action should be slow and moderate, so as not to cause joint pain. The surgery was performed once a day for 3-5 minutes.

4) Pay attention to stiff joints to keep warm to promote local blood transport and improve joint nutrition, because cold often makes blood vessels constricted and adverse to joint function recovery.

5) Traditional Chinese medicine fumigation and washing: With the traditional Chinese medicine of relaxing muscles and promoting blood circulation, dispelling wind and dispersing cold, reducing swelling and pain, such as Angelica, peach seed, renhua, achyranthes, soft branches, Ephedra, cassia twig and so on, fumigation and washing the affected part can achieve the functions of relieving spasmodic pain, promoting blood circulation and reducing swelling, soft joints and so on, but do not burn.

6) Physiotherapy: including local infrared irradiation, hot mineral water bath and wax therapy, etc.

The Achilles tendon contracture

Achilles tendon contracture refers to the failure of the Achilles tendon to maintain its normal length after prolonged immobility due to fracture, rupture of the Achilles tendon, or damage to the nervous system. Achilles tendon contracture is usually presented as a pinus varus deformity. The dorsiflexion of the ankle joint cannot reach 0° during knee extension, which is a serious walking disorder. In severe cases, walking is difficult even with the use of lower limb orthosis.

The most important aspect of Achilles tendon contracture is the correct position and change of position in the early stage of injury so that the ankle is functional.

To avoid the occurrence of Achilles tendon contracture. Position placement (to prevent Achilles tendon contracture)

Patient supine position or long sitting position: the affected leg is straight and flat on the bed, with toes pointing straight above the ankle in the functional position.

Potential, put a soft pad on the sole of the foot to prevent pressure sores on the heel. This position is of great significance for standing, walking, etc.

It is much easier to prevent contracture than to treat it. Contracture is reversible within 3 weeks of fixation, but recovery is slow after 40 days of fixation, and irreversible after 180 days of fixation. Therefore, early intervention of joint activities should be carried out to prevent the occurrence of Achilles tendon contracture.