Healing Process
The most frequent question asked by patients who underwent treatment/surgery is “How long will it take to heal?” The simple answer is, it depends on the condition, the injuries, and the surgical procedure that was performed. We are here to help you, guide you, and answer your questions related to the healing process.
1. Muscle Soreness
Period (0-3 days)
Symptoms – Lower range of movement, reduce muscle strength, and inflammation
Treatment – Lessen the activity, cold compress, massage, and complete rest.
2. Muscle Strain
1. Grade I – light muscle strain that injures less than 5% of muscle fibers
- Period (0 days to 2 weeks)
2. Grade II – large percent loss of muscle movement and inability to perform simple basic tasks.
- Period (4 days to 3 months)
3. Grade III – a complete muscle or tendon rupture. The worst type of muscle strain requires surgery to reattach the affected muscle or tendon.
- Period (3 weeks to 6 months)
- Symptoms – Sudden pain, swelling, bruising, weakness of muscle or tendon, and inability to move the affected muscle or tendon
- Treatment – R. I. C. E (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation)
3. Ligament
1. Grade I
- Period (0 days to 3 days)
- Symptoms – mild sprain, and small bruising
- Treatment – rest, cold compress, and anti-inflammatory medicine
2. Grade II
- Period (3 weeks to 6 months)
- Symptoms – moderate sprain, small tear, and swelling
- Treatment – weight-bearing brace
3. Grade III
- Period (5 weeks to 1 year)
- Symptoms – complete tear, low stability and requires surgery to repair
- Treatment – Surgery, for non-surgical weight-bearing
4. Tendonitis
- Period (3 weeks to 7 weeks)
- Symptoms – Pain in the tendon, difficulty in moving the tendon, stiffness, and swelling
- Treatment – Rest, ice, and Support: soft braces
5. Tendinosis
- Period (3 months to 6 months)
- Symptoms – burning/ swelling around the tendon, pain that gets worse, stiffness in joints, restricted range of motion.
- Treatment – rest, stretching, massage the affected area, exercise to strengthen the muscle, and use of a brace.
6. Tendon Laceration
- Period (5 weeks to 6 months)
- Symptoms – inability to blend one or more of the joints in the finger, pain when bending the finger, tenderness along with the affected fingers on the palm side
- Treatment – Surgical repair of the tendon, hand therapy, and exercise
7. Bone
- Period – (5 weeks to 6 months)
- Symptoms – breaking and fracture of the bone, loss of function or bone weakness
- Treatment – surgery with bone grafting, and casting