"Why Is My Left Lower Leg Experiencing Swelling?"
In our bodies, if cell tissues are infected by inflammation, edema may occur on the skin surface. Generally speaking, there are numerous reasons for edema, with poor blood circulation or cardiac infection being the most prevalent. Should edema manifest in the left lower leg, the primary consideration revolves around determining if it's caused by impact. Mild edema can be alleviated through hot compresses. Subsequent to tibia and fibula fractures, the lower leg may exhibit swelling, pain, potential deformity, and abnormal motion. Tibia and fibula fractures comprise approximately 9.45% of all bodily fractures, with a heightened prevalence in children under 10 years old. Notably, tibia and fibula double fractures are the most common, accounting for 5.1% of fractures, followed by tibia fractures at 3.85%. Fibula fractures represent the least frequent, constituting 0.59% of all fractures. These fractures are exceedingly common, particularly in children, and can be induced by both direct and indirect external forces. Fatigue fractures occasionally occur in the upper segment of the tibia and the middle to lower segments of the fibula. Indirect external forces, such as falling and twisting, frequently result in oblique or spiral fractures, with the lower segment of the tibia often exhibiting spiral fractures, and the middle to upper segments of the fibula displaying oblique fractures. Single tibia fractures are prevalent in children, typically presenting as subperiosteal or greenstick fractures. Direct external forces, like compression, squeezing, and striking, often lead to transverse or comminuted fractures, with the fracture lines of both bones aligning at a similar level, facilitating the formation of an open injury on the anteromedial aspect of the tibia. Multiple fractures are also encountered, and virtually all single fibula fractures stem from direct external forces. Tibia and fibula fatigue fractures are observed in long-distance runners or ball players. The displacement of fractures is contingent upon the direction of the external force, muscle traction, or the influence of lower limb gravity. In single fractures, displacement is typically minimal, whereas in double fractures, displacement is common. In middle and lower segment fractures, the distal end often displaces outward and backward, with the fractured end angling similarly. In upper segment fractures, the proximal end frequently elevates anteriorly and medially. The distal end of the fractured bone often rotates outward due to the weight of the foot. Fatigue fractures, devoid of displacement, are characterized by the formation of substantial bone callus locally, with the fracture line remaining clearly visible.
Minimizing the incidence of fractures can be achieved by preventing direct or indirect violence. In the event of a fracture, proactive prevention of various complications should be implemented for different fracture sites to avert ischemia, necrosis, and functional impairment. Post-fracture, to expedite the restoration of the lower leg's weight-bearing function, angular deformities, rotational displacements, and limb shortening of the fractured ends must be thoroughly rectified to prevent compromising the weight-bearing function of the knee and ankle joints. Immediately after fixation, patients should be instructed to engage in ankle joint dorsiflexion activities and quadriceps muscle contraction exercises. After stable fractures have been fixed for 2 weeks, under medical guidance, leg lifting and knee flexion exercises can commence. Following 3 weeks, with the splint still in place, patients can embark on crutch-assisted walking without bearing weight. Subsequently, rubbing, stretching, and pedal exercises can be incorporated into the rehabilitation program.