How long does it take for joint adhesions to open?

Joint adhesion is usually caused by joint disease or after surgery. The joints of our body are very fragile and can be easily injured if we are not careful. Generally, after a joint injury, we need surgery, ranging from large surgery to small plaster casts, and we need to stay in bed and rest after the injury. During this process, if our joints are always still and the amount of exercise is reduced, over time the fibers of the joints will adhere to each other, which will make it difficult for our joints to recover and move.

1. What is joint adhesion?

After injury and surgery, the most detrimental effect on function is probably joint adhesion. It's just that the muscles are atrophied and the strength is reduced. As long as the strength is not too different, there is still some mobility. However, if it is joint adhesion, that is, joint stiffness, as the saying goes, the joint is "dead" and cannot move, it will be difficult to restore any function. For example, if the elbow joint is adhered and cannot be bent, you cannot touch your face or reach your mouth when washing or eating; if the knee joint is adhered and cannot be bent, you cannot squat, go to the toilet, or go up and down stairs; or if the knee joint cannot be straightened, then even when standing, one leg is longer than the other, and you will definitely limp when you walk; or if the hip joint is adhered and cannot be flexed, it is even more painful, and you can only lie down or stand, not sit (for normal sitting posture, with the body sitting upright, the hip joint should be flexed 90°). In short, it greatly affects your function and is extremely painful.

Why do joints become adhered?

Under normal circumstances, the various activities in our daily lives maintain the movement function of the joints and surrounding soft tissues. However, after surgery and injury, it is impossible to jump around and move as you please right away. There must be a certain amount of braking protection so that the tissues can heal and grow. This requires applying plaster, wearing splints, using braces, using crutches, wearing a triangular bandage for suspension protection, bed rest, etc. As a result, the movement of the limb joints is reduced or even stopped (when fixed with plaster), which is called braking, or partial braking.

After braking, adhesions will form in the joints, the joint cavity will narrow, and the related tissues outside the joints will contract and shorten. Such "internal and external troubles" and "internal and external attacks" inevitably lead to joint stiffness and loss of mobility.

3. How long does it take for joint adhesion to open?

Joint adhesions are generally divided into early adhesions and late adhesions. Within four to six months of adhesions in joints such as the knee joint, functional exercises of the joints can be gradually performed, and joint flexion and stretching can be forced to restore joint function. If adhesion of the knee joint lasts for more than six months, it will become very difficult to restore the function of the joint. Some joint adhesions may be caused by a significant increase and thickening of the surrounding soft tissue. Generally speaking, we can further release the soft tissue around the joint through arthroscopy and minimally invasive surgery to restore joint function. Joint adhesions should not be ignored. The joints are responsible for all the movements of our body. Once joint adhesion and restricted functions occur, our lives will be greatly affected. Therefore, after joint adhesion occurs, you should actively exercise and restore joint function. When exercise cannot satisfy recovery requirements, you should actively seek medical treatment, take medication, and undergo surgery to restore joint function through different methods.