Contracture

contracture

[kən′trak·chər] (architecture) The narrowing of a section of a column. (medicine) Shortening, as of muscle or scar tissue, producing distortion or deformity or abnormal limitation of movement of a joint. Retarded relaxation of muscle, as when it is injected with veratrine.

Contracture

in physiology, prolonged, persistent, often irreversible contraction (rigidity) of the muscle fiber or of a section of it.

The cause of contracture is usually disruption of the processes of reconstitution (resynthesis) of adenosine triphosphoric acid (ATP). Contracture may be produced experimentally by many agents (electric current, change in the temperature or reaction of the medium, and certain biologically active or pharmacological substances, such as acetylcholine, veratrine, caffeine, and nicotine). In contrast to an ordinary muscle contraction, which extends in a wavelike manner along the muscle fiber, contracture is a prolonged, nonspreading contraction. During contracture the muscle develops tension and can perform mechanical work; heat production is increased in the area of contracture. The Russian physiologist N. E. Vvedenskii regarded contracture as a nonfluctuating stimulation of the muscle fiber.

In medical science, contracture is the limitation of mobility in a joint as a result of a pathological change in the joint surfaces or in the soft tissues that are functionally connected with the joint. One may distinguish flexor, extensor, abductor, adductor, and other contractures according to their predominant position; according to origin, a distinction is made between congenital and acquired contractures. At the root of congenital contracture is underdevelopment of the muscles and joints (torticollis, arthrogryposis, clubfoot, and so on) and of skin coverings (the cutaneous membranes between digits).

Acquired contractures may be dermatogenic (from Greek dermas, “skin”), which arise during healing, by means of the second intention of large defects in the skin after burns, wounds, inflammations, and so forth; desmogenic (from Greek desmos, “ligament”), which develop during corrugation of the fascies (connective-tissue membranes that surround the muscles), ligaments, and bursas after injury to them or inflammatory processes in them; myogenic (from Latin mys, myos, “muscle”), which are caused by traumas, acute and chronic inflammations of the muscles, and certain other pathological processes in the muscles; tendogenic (from Late Latin tendo, “tendon”), which arise as a result of injury or inflammation of the tendons and their sheaths; arthrogenic (from Greek arthron, “joint”), which are due to a pathological process in the joint—the disruption of the integrity of the joint surfaces or changes in the ligamentous apparatus; and neurogenic, which arise during illnesses of the central and peripheral nervous system.

Among these a distinction is made between reflex, spastic, and paralytic contractures. Reflex contractures develop during severe pain, prolonged protective tonic tension of the muscles (for example, flexor contracture of the hip joint with retroperitoneal abscesses). Reflex contracture gradually becomes myogenic as a result of changes that occur in the muscles. Spastic contractures arise as a result of irritation of the motor areas of the cerebral cortex and with affection of the central motor neuron, vascular diseases of the brain, inflammatory processes, traumas, and so forth. Paralytic contractures are often observed with poliomyelitis and are accompanied by loosening of the joints. Contractures caused by disruption of autonomic innervation develop after removal or irritation of a sympathetic trunk with a subsequent change in muscle tonus. The course of contracture is directly dependent on the degree of affection of the joint, the localization, and the cause of the contracture.

Prophylactic measures include timely splinting of the extremities and treatment of the primary cause. Treatment consists of the correction of the contracture by traction or on distraction apparatus, the use of plaster casts applied in stages, therapeutic exercise, massage, and physiotherapy. With persistent contractures that do not yield to conservative measures surgery is performed.

V. L. ANDRIANOV, L. O. BADALIAN, AND N. N. NEFED’EVA

contracture

[kon-trak´cher] abnormal shortening of muscle tissue, rendering the muscle highly resistant to stretching; this can lead to permanent disability. It can be caused by fibrosis of the tissues supporting the muscle or the joint, or by disorders of the muscle fibers themselves.
Improper support and positioning of joints affected by arthritis or injury, and inadequate exercising of joints in patients with paralysis can result in contractures. For example, a patient with arthritis or severe burns may assume the most comfortable position and will resist changing position because motion is painful. If the joints are allowed to remain in this position, the muscle fibers that normally provide motion will stretch or shorten to accommodate the position and eventually will lose their ability to contract and relax.
In many cases contractures can be prevented by range of motion exercises (active or passive), and by adequate support of the joints to eliminate constant shortening or stretching of the muscles and surrounding tissues.Dupuytren's contracture a flexion deformity of the fingers or toes, due to shortening, thickening, and fibrosis of the palmar or plantar fascia.ischemic contracture muscular contracture and degeneration due to interference with the circulation due to pressure or to injury or cold.Volkmann's contracture contraction of the fingers and sometimes of the wrist, or of analogous parts of the foot, with loss of power, after severe injury or improper use of a tourniquet or cast in the region of the elbow.

con·trac·ture

(kon-trak'chūr), Do not confuse this word with contraction.Static muscle shortening due to tonic spasm or fibrosis, to loss of muscular balance, to the antagonist being paralyzed, or to a loss of motion of the adjacent joint. [L. contractura, fr. contraho, to draw together]

contracture

(kən-trăk′chər)n.1. An abnormal, often permanent shortening, as of muscle or scar tissue, that results in distortion or deformity, especially of a joint of the body.2. A deformity resulting from a contracture.

contracture

Orthopedics A fixed resistance to passive movement of a musculoskeletal unit or joint, usually due to local fibrosis, often caused by prior ischemic insult. See Capsular contracture, Fibromyalgia, Volkman's ischemic contracture. Cf Contraction.

con·trac·ture

(kŏn-trak'shŭr) Static muscle shortening due to tonic spasm or fibrosis, to loss of muscular balance (the antagonists are paralyzed), or to a loss of motion of the adjacent joint. [L. contractura, fr. contraho, to draw together]

contracture

(kon-trak'chur) [L. contractura, a drawing together]

CONTRACTURE OF THE RIGHT HANDFibrosis of connective tissue in skin, fascia, muscle, or a joint capsule that prevents normal mobility of the related tissue or joint. See: illustration

Dupuytren's contracture

See: Dupuytren's contracture

fibrotic contracture

Contraction of a muscle in which the muscle tissue has been replaced by fibrous tissue because of injury.

functional contracture

Contraction of a muscle that decreases during anesthesia or sleep.

myostatic contracture

Adaptive shortening of muscle, usually caused by immobilization and without tissue pathology.

physiological contracture

A temporary condition in which tension and shortening of a muscle are maintained for a considerable time although there is no tetanus. It may be induced by injury, disease, heat, drug action, or acids.

pseudomyostatic contracture

An apparent permanent contraction of a muscle due to a central nervous system lesion, resulting in loss of range of motion and resistance of the muscle to stretch.

Volkmann's contracture

See: Volkmann, Richard von

contracture

Permanent shortening of tissue, such as muscle, tendon or skin, as a result of disuse, injury or disease. Contracture leads to the inability to straighten joints fully and to permanent deformity and disability. Skin contractures often follow burns.

Contracture

A tightening of muscles that prevents normal movement of the associated limb or other body part.Mentioned in: Cerebral Palsy

con·trac·ture

(kŏn-trak'shŭr) Do not confuse this word with contraction.Static muscle shortening due to tonic spasm or fibrosis, to loss of muscular balance, to the antagonist being paralyzed, or to a loss of motion. [L. contractura, fr. contraho, to draw together]

contracture

con·trac·ture

contracture

con•trac•ture

contracture

Contracture

contracture

Contracture

contracture

contracture

con·trac·ture

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contracture

con·trac·ture

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Dupuytren's contracture

fibrotic contracture

functional contracture

myostatic contracture

physiological contracture

pseudomyostatic contracture

Volkmann's contracture

contracture

Contracture

con·trac·ture

contracture

Words related to contracture

noun an abnormal and usually permanent contraction of a muscle

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