A Randomized Trial Assessing the Muscle Strength and Range of Motion in Elderly Patients following Distal Radius Fractures Treated with 4-and 6-Week Cast Immobilization

Background: There is no consensus among orthopedic surgeons as to the required period of cast immobilization in distal radius fractures in elderly patients. The purpose of this study was to assess muscle strength and range of motion symmetry in elderly patients after distal radius fractures with different periods of cast immobilization. Methods: This study evaluated 50 patients (33 women and 17 men), aged over 65 years, after cast immobilization treatment for distal radius fracture. The mean age at the beginning of treatment was 71 years. The mean duration of follow-up was 1 year and 3 months. The first subgroup (n = 24) comprised the patients whose fractures had been immobilized in a cast for 6 weeks, another subgroup (n = 26) comprised the patients with 4-week cast immobilization. We assessed: (1) muscle strength, (2) range of motion. Results: The mean grip strength in the treated limb was 71% and 81% of that in the healthy limb in the groups with 4-week and 6-week cast immobilization, respectively (p = 0.0432). The study groups showed no differences in the mean grip strength in the treated limbs or the mean grip strength in the healthy limbs. The mean treated limb flexion was 62 degrees and 75 degrees in the 4-week and 6-week immobilization groups, respectively (p = 0.025). The evaluated groups showed no differences in terms of any other range of motion parameters. The grip strength and range of motion values were significantly lower in the treated limb than in the healthy limb in both evaluated groups. Only the values of wrist radial deviation in the 6-week cast immobilization group showed no differences between the treated and healthy limbs. Conclusion: Higher values of injured limb muscle strength and greater mean range of wrist flexion were achieved in the 6-week subgroup. Neither of the evaluated groups achieved a symmetry of muscle strength or range of motion after treatment. Full limb function did not return in any of the elderly distal radius fracture patients irrespective of cast immobilization duration.