9 studies (8 RCTs, 1 controlled clinical trial) were selected for a systematic review of elderly patients with a proximal humerus fracture. The goal of this study was to determine whether surgical or nonoperative treatment is the optimal intervention in patients over the age of 60. Operative treatments identified in the included trials were the tension band technique, locking plates, pinning and hemiarthroplasty. The results of this review indicated that many studies did not find a significant difference in functional outcomes when comparing locking plates or tension bands to nonoperative treatment at 1 year. There was a significantly better health-related quality of life and Euroqol-5D in patients that received a hemiarthroplasty compared to the nonoperative group for patients with 4-part fractures. Complications were common in the operative treatment groups. This study highlights the need for further high quality investigations.