Adhesions between muscle and bone after forearm fracture mimicking mild Volkmann's ischemic contracture

Five cases of digital flexion contractures after healed forearm fractures were incorrectly diagnosed as mild Volkmann ischemic contractures. All failed to respond to conservative therapy and were considered significant enough to require surgical correction. At surgery, the involved muscle-tendon units were densely adherent to the bone and callus of the fracture site with no evidence of ischemic involvement of the muscle. Lysis of adhesions and lengthening of the contracted muscle corrected the deformities.