A combined application of physiotherapeutic procedures in the rehabilitation of patients with circumferential elbow joint burns, based on the material of the Burn Treatment Centre in Siemianowice Śląskie

Introduction. Physiotherapy applied in burn scar treatment is one of the components of patient rehabilitation at the Burn Treatment Centre in Siemianowice OEl¹skie. The aim of the study is to present the physiotherapeutic procedures used in the case of patients with elbow thermal burns in order to prevent hyperthrophied scar formation and to improve mobility and esthetic appearance of the scar area. Material and methods: the material consisted of 25 patients (8 women, 17 men) aged 18-62, after 2a, 2b and 3 degree thermal burns, treated at the Rehabilitation Department of the Burn Treatment Centre in Siemianowice OEl¹skie, in whom the burn scar covered the circumferential area of the elbow joint. The patients went through unified physiotherapeutic procedures: laser biostimulation, ultrasounds, iontophoresis. Each of the procedures was performed in series of 15-20 repetitions. The patient’s hospitalization period was 21 days. The study includes procedure parameters, a review and characteristics of the methods and the progress achieved in the patients’ rehabilitation. Conclusions. 1. Correctly tailored and unified physiotherapy administered to patients treated at the Rehabilitation Department of the Burn Treatment Centre due to circumferential burns of the elbow joint area has an effect on improving mobility in the scar area and is beneficial to the process of scar formation. 2. The use of physiotherapy in the treatment of burn scars is a supplement to the patients’ rehabilitation. The rehabilitation should be a complex process, including kinesitherapy, pressotherapy and pharmacotherapy, so as to ensure the best possible results of scar treatment.