Highlight
- •We determined that the early mobilization of a distal radius fractures after volar locking plate fixation did not provide any benefit in pain relief for the patient.
- •However, patients who underwent early mobilization have more favorable disability of the arm, shoulder, and hand scores and higher grip power at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively, though the difference narrowed with time.
- •Early mobilization improves the postoperative range of motion compared to late mobilization at 6 weeks and 3 months postoperatively, but does not show an advantage at 6 months postoperatively.
ABSTRACT
Study design
This was a systematic review with a meta-analysis.
Introduction
Despite rising trends toward surgical treatment of distal radius fractures (DRF) with
volar locking plate (VLP) fixation, there is a lack of consensus on when to start
vigorous wrist range of motion (ROM) exercises after surgery.
Purpose
We performed a meta-analysis to compare early and late mobilization after VLP fixation
in patients with DRF.
Methods
Four prospective randomized controlled trials with a minimum of 6 months of follow-up
were retrieved through MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library,
and the KoreaMed databases in March 2021. We divided patients into an early group
(patients who started ROM exercises of the wrist within 2 weeks after surgery), and
a late group (patients who started ROM exercises 5 or 6 weeks after surgery). The
primary outcome was treatment efficacy which was measured through improvement in pain
score, function score, ROM, and grip power. The secondary outcome was the incidence
of postoperative complications.
Results
This meta-analysis included 127 patients in the early group and 131 patients in the
late group. The outcomes were compared at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively.
There was no significant difference in pain score, though the early group had a lower
average visual analog scale score. The early group had a lower arm, shoulder, and
hand disability score than the late group (95 % CI, -16.25 to -8.35 points; P < .001) at 6 weeks postoperatively, suggesting significantly superior outcomes. A
similar trend persisted at 3 (n = 74 in the early group and n = 77 in the late group; 95% CI, -5.45 to -0.30; P = .029) and 6 months (n = 102 in the early group and n = 100 in the late group; 95% CI, -4.81 to 0.21; P = .073), but the differences were smaller. The early group had a higher grip power
at all follow-up periods, but the difference was only significant at 6 months postoperatively
(n = 88 in the early group and n = 83 in the late group; 95% CI, 0.50 to 6.99; P = 0.024). The early group also had more favorable ROM in all directions at 6 weeks,
but only in supination at 6 months. The complication rate was not significantly different
between the 2 groups. There were no differences in the rates of secondary operation
and reduction loss.
Conclusion
Early ROM exercise after VLP in DRF resulted in superior functional scores and grip
power until 6 months postoperatively. The dominance of the joint ROM, which was seen
at 6 weeks after surgery in the early exercise group, decreased with time and ultimately
showed little difference at 6 months. Early exercise is safe and did not increase
complication rates.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 28, 2021
Accepted:
October 2,
2021
Received in revised form:
May 26,
2021
Received:
June 3,
2020
Publication stage
In Press Corrected ProofFootnotes
Conflict of interest: All named authors hereby declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Identification
Copyright
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