2017 OTA Annual Meeting: Minimally Displaced, Isolated Radial Head Fractures Do Not Require Formal Physical Therapy: Results of a Prospective Randomized Trial

51 patients with a radial head fracture with less than 2mm displacement were randomized to either formal outpatient physical therapy or provided a list of exercises to be completed at home. Patients were assessed for time to clinical healing, as well as disability and elbow range of motion over a 1-year follow-up. The only significant difference between groups noted was disability at 6 weeks post-injury, which was significantly smaller in the home exercise group. Otherwise, no significant differences between groups were observed in the assessed outcome measures over the 1-year follow-up.