The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of physical therapy as part of the non-operative treatment of radial head fractures.There is currently no data to support the use of physical therapy in the non-operative treatment of radial head fractures. Likewise, there is no data that shows that physical therapy is harmful to patients being treated non-operatively for radial head fractures. Investigators believe that prescribing physical therapy for patients with non-displaced radial head fractures treated non-operatively is unnecessary, and that that it would be equally efficacious to teach patients simple stretching exercises that they could perform by themselves. Subjects will be randomized into 2 groups: Group 1 - Patients will be prescribed physical therapy within the first month following fracture; Group 2 - Patients will be given simple stretching exercises to perform at home and will not be given a prescription for physical therapy. Patients who agree to participate in this study and sign the informed consent will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
51
Patients in Group 1 will be given a prescription for outpatient physical therapy.
Patients in Group 2 will be carefully instructed on home exercises for range of motion and strengthening of their affected elbow. All therapy regimens will be prescribed at initial presentation, as is the current practice. All other care will be identical for patients in both groups. This
New York University School of Medicine
New York, New York, United States
Successful fracture union
Demonstrated through x-rays
Time frame: 3 Months
Functional outcome score
functional survey scores will demonstrate that physical therapy does not impact patient outcomes
Time frame: 3 Months
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