Advances in Hand Therapy: Best Practice in Conservative Management of Proximal Phalangeal Fractures in Children.

研究概要

Eighty children with non-displaced or minimally displaced proximal phalangeal fractures were randomized to receive either 3 weeks of splinting (New Protocol, n=40) or 5 weeks of splinting (Current Protocol, n=40). The primary outcome of interest was total active motion (TAM) of the injured digit compared to the contralateral digit at 5 weeks post-injury. Secondary outcomes included grip strength and a parent-reported questionnaire. Outcomes were assessed at 5 and 8 weeks. Overall, the results showed that ceasing splinting at 3 weeks was non-inferior to the current 5-week splinting protocol, with similar TAM and grip strength between groups. The findings suggest that splinting time can safely be reduced without impacting recovery outcomes in children with clinically healed fractures.