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Upper arm fractures occur at the upper end of the upper arm bone (humerus), affecting the shoulder joint.
F i h U A
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Fracturing the Upper Arm
Upper arm fractures usually result from a fall on an outstretched arm. Sometimes they result from a direct blow. Usually, the broken pieces of bone do
not move out of place or move only slightly out of place and thus tend to heal on their own.
Upper arm fractures are common among older people.
Shoulder Immobilizer
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Exercises to move the shoulder joint through its full range of motion, such as Codman exercises, are started as soon as possible because this joint is
prone to becoming permanently stiff, especially in older people.
Codman Exercises
Shift body weight from foot to foot in the same direction that the arm swing
These exercises should cause only minimal pain. People should do each exercise twice in one set and do several sets each day. These exercises are
done even if the arm is in a sling or in a sling and swathe (as it usually is). Moving the bones in the shoulder joint helps prevent the joint from
becoming stiff.
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If bone is broken into several pieces, people are referred to an orthopedic surgeon, who aligns the broken pieces and inserts metal plates, screws, and
wires to hold the bone together (called open reduction with internal fixation, or ORIF).
Sometimes the shoulder joint must be replaced.
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A total joint replacement procedure (arthroplasty) is done to replace a damaged joint.
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