Fracture and Dislocation Rehabilitation at Home
Rehabilitation After a Broken Bone or Dislocated Joint
Physical and occupational therapy to restore motion, strength and confidence after a broken bone or dislocated joint.
ELEVATE provides in-home rehabilitation for adults recovering from fractures and dislocations in Oakland and Macomb County, Michigan. Licensed physical and occupational therapists work on motion, strength, walking, balance and safe daily tasks, following your surgeon’s and physician’s instructions at every step.
- A fracture is a broken bone and a dislocation is a joint forced out of position. Both can be painful and need prompt medical care. A dislocated joint is an emergency, according to MedlinePlus.
- The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) notes that healing time depends on the extent and location of the injury, your age, other medical issues and how well you follow your doctor’s advice. Pain usually stops long before the bone is solid enough for normal activity.
- After a cast, brace, sling or surgery, strength and motion in the injured area are usually reduced. Specific exercises help restore normal muscle strength, joint motion and flexibility.
- Physical therapy rebuilds motion, strength, balance and walking. Occupational therapy restores safe use of the arm, hand and daily routines. Your surgeon’s restrictions always come first.
- ELEVATE Therapy Services brings therapy to your home in Oakland and Macomb County, Michigan. Visits are private-pay and one-on-one.
How fractures and dislocations happen
A fracture is a broken bone. Doctors use the words “break” and “fracture” interchangeably, and a bone may be completely or partially fractured in many ways: crosswise, lengthwise or in multiple pieces. Bones bend a little when force is applied, but if the force is too great they break, much as a plastic ruler breaks when bent too far. The severity usually depends on the force that caused the break.
Common types include a stable (non-displaced) fracture, where the broken ends line up, an open (compound) fracture, where the skin is broken and infection of the wound and bone can occur, and a comminuted fracture, where the bone breaks into three or more pieces.
A dislocation is a different injury. It forces the ends of the bones in a joint out of position, often from a fall or a blow. Ankles, knees, shoulders, hips, elbows, fingers and toes can all dislocate. A dislocated joint is usually swollen, very painful and visibly out of place, and you may not be able to move it.
How these injuries are treated
- A cast holds a repositioned bone in place while it heals; a functional cast or brace allows limited, controlled movement of nearby joints.
- Traction gently aligns the bone, usually as a temporary measure before surgery.
- External fixation uses pins or screws connected to a frame outside the skin to hold the bones in position.
- Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) repositions the bone and holds it with plates, screws or rods placed through the bone.
- A dislocated joint is repositioned, then protected in a splint or sling, with rehabilitation afterward.
Which approach is used is your surgeon’s decision. Rehabilitation begins where the cast, sling or surgery leaves off.
Causes and risk factors
- Trauma: a fall, a motor vehicle accident or a tackle can break a bone or dislocate a joint.
- Osteoporosis: weakened bones can break with even a minor fall or injury. See our arthritis and osteoporosis guide.
- Overuse: repetitive, high-impact activity can cause stress fractures when too much force is placed on a bone that is not strong enough for it. See our running and athletic performance guide.
- Healing factors: the extent and location of the injury, your age, other medical issues and how well you follow your doctor’s advice all affect healing time.
- Repeat dislocation: once a shoulder or kneecap has dislocated, it is more likely to dislocate again.
AAOS notes that a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D and weight-bearing exercise help keep bones strong, and that smoking and alcohol use may weaken bones and make fractures more likely.
Common fractures and dislocations
Most fractures are very painful and may prevent you from moving the injured area. Other common signs are swelling and tenderness, bruising and deformity, where a limb looks out of place. These are some of the injuries we see most often in rehabilitation.
| Injury | What it is | Where to read more |
|---|---|---|
| Wrist fracture | A break near the wrist end of the forearm, often after a fall on an outstretched hand. | Physical and occupational therapy, hand and wrist guide |
| Hip fracture | A break in the upper part of the thigh bone near the hip, most serious in older adults and usually treated with surgery. | Physical therapy, fall prevention guide |
| Ankle fracture | A break in one or more bones of the ankle joint, sometimes with ligament injury. | Physical therapy, foot and ankle guide |
| Shoulder dislocation | The ball of the upper arm bone slips out of the socket. The shoulder is more likely to dislocate again afterward. | Physical therapy, shoulder guide |
| Kneecap dislocation | The kneecap slips out of its groove. It is more likely to happen again after the first time. | Physical therapy, knee guide |
| Stress fracture | A small crack from repeated force on a bone, common in high-impact sports. | Physical therapy, running guide |
| Vertebral compression fracture | A collapse of a spine bone, often linked to osteoporosis. | Physical therapy, arthritis and osteoporosis guide |
| Finger and hand fractures | Breaks in the small bones of the hand that can limit grip and fine tasks. | Occupational therapy, hand and wrist guide |
When to get help
Call your surgeon’s office promptly for pain that is getting worse, a cast or brace that feels too tight, new numbness, fever, increasing redness or drainage at an incision, or new calf pain or swelling. Ask your surgeon which warning signs to watch for in your case.
How fractures and dislocations affect daily life
| What a person may notice | Why it happens | Who helps |
|---|---|---|
| Stiffness and weakness after the cast, brace or sling comes off | During recovery you are likely to lose muscle strength and range of motion in the injured area, and specific exercises help restore them. | Physical therapy |
| Pain stops, but the area still cannot handle normal activity | Pain usually stops long before the bone is solid enough for the stresses of normal activity, so limits may continue after the cast is off. | Physical therapy, your surgeon |
| Trouble dressing, bathing, cooking or using a hand after an arm, wrist or shoulder injury | The injured limb cannot do its usual job while it heals, so tasks need new methods or support. | Occupational therapy |
| Unsteady walking or fear of falling after a leg or hip fracture | Weakness, a walking aid and a recent fall all change how steady you feel. | Physical therapy, AdaPTive Mobility Solutions |
| A joint that feels loose or unsafe after a dislocation | A joint that has dislocated once is more likely to dislocate again, so the muscles around it need to be retrained. | Physical therapy |
| Worry about re-injury or getting back to normal | Confidence returns with graded, supervised steps and clear limits. | Physical therapy, occupational therapy |
How care works
Care moves through stages, and your surgeon or physician sets the timing, including when you may bear weight or use the injured limb.
- Injury care: the bone or joint is repositioned and protected with a cast, brace, sling or surgery. Follow all weight-bearing and movement limits.
- Therapy: once cleared, therapy restores motion, strength and flexibility in the injured area and the joints around it.
- Function: balance, walking, lifting and daily tasks are practiced at home, where you actually need them.
- Return: a gradual plan back to work, hobbies, exercise or sport, cleared by your physician.
The American Physical Therapy Association’s clinical practice guideline on hip fracture recommends physical therapy that includes structured exercise, such as resistance and balance training, and guidance on staying active after formal therapy ends.
What PT and OT each do
Physical therapy: restore motion, strength and walking
- Assessment of motion, strength, swelling, balance and walking, once your surgeon clears therapy
- Graded exercises that rebuild muscle and joint motion lost during immobilization
- Gait training and safe use of a cane, walker or crutches, following your weight-bearing instructions
- Balance and strength training to lower fall risk, especially after a hip or leg fracture
- Joint-protection and strengthening exercises after a dislocation, with a written home program
- A step-by-step return to stairs, outdoor walking, exercise and, when cleared, sport
Occupational therapy: get back to daily tasks
- Training in safe, modified ways to dress, bathe, cook and manage the home while an arm, wrist, hand or shoulder heals
- Exercises and activities to restore use of the arm and hand, including grip and fine tasks, as your surgeon allows
- Home safety review and equipment recommendations, together with AdaPTive Mobility Solutions
- Pacing and planning so pain and fatigue do not limit your day
Supporting services
These services complement rehabilitation and do not replace your medical care.
What an ELEVATE home visit looks like
- Review: your injury, how it was treated, your surgeon’s restrictions, medicines and your goals.
- Assessment: motion, strength, swelling, balance, walking and how you manage daily tasks in your own home.
- Plan: a graded program and a written home exercise plan that stay within your surgeon’s limits.
- Progress checks: strength, motion and function measures to guide each step forward.
- Communication: progress shared with your surgeon or physician as appropriate.
ELEVATE serves adults in Oakland and Macomb County, Michigan, with licensed physical and occupational therapists. ELEVATE visits are private-pay. Some plans may offer out-of-network reimbursement, so check with your plan, and see our Payments & Insurance page or call us with questions.
Questions families ask
How long does a broken bone take to heal?
When can therapy start?
Why does the area feel weak and stiff after the cast comes off?
My pain is gone. Does that mean the bone is healed?
Will my shoulder or kneecap dislocate again?
Does home therapy replace my surgeon’s care?
How is care paid for?
Trusted resources for fractures and dislocations
These organizations are the leading sources of education and support for this condition. We are not affiliated with them.
Related guides
Browse every condition we treat on our Conditions We Treat page.
Sources and medical note
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo: Fractures (Broken Bones).
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine: Dislocations.
- McDonough CM et al. Physical Therapy Management of Older Adults With Hip Fracture. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2021;51(2):CPG1-CPG81. doi:10.2519/jospt.2021.0301.
- Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation: bonehealthandosteoporosis.org.
This guide is general education and is not medical advice. Follow the instructions of your surgeon or physician. If you think you are having an emergency, call 911.
Contact Elevate Therapy Services
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Phone: (248) 266-5721
Fax: (586) 788-1704
