Burn Wound Healing: Inpatient Physiotherapy

Burn injuries are considered the most significant threat to a patient's life. Physiotherapy for burn patients cannot be conducted without understanding the wound healing process. The therapist, as an active member of the treatment team, must be knowledgeable about wound healing and its mechanisms. Therapeutic exercise programs and maintaining proper joint positions and splinting should be aligned with the wound healing process. The healing process for burn wounds often takes longer than for regular wounds. Superficial partial-thickness burns have the potential for spontaneous healing due to the presence of skin appendages, typically healing within ۱۰ to ۱۴ days, leading to new skin formation. Deep partial-thickness burns can also heal spontaneously, but this process takes longer (between ۲ to ۴ weeks), and hypertrophic scars may form at the site of new skin formation. Full-thickness burns, which damage all layers of the skin, do not have the potential for spontaneous healing and require skin grafting. However, such wounds must be prepared for grafting as soon as possible through appropriate treatments like wound care, dressing changes, debridement, and brushing, typically about a month after the burn incident.