To identify demographic, injury-related, or psychologic factors associated with finger stiffness at suture removal and 6 weeks after distal radius fracture surgery. We hypothesize that there are no factors associated with distance to palmar crease at suture removal.
Design: Prospective cohort study.
Setting: Level I Academic Urban Trauma Center.
Patients: 116 adult patients underwent open reduction and internal fixation of their distal radius fractures; 96 of whom were also available 6 weeks after surgery.
Intervention: None.
Main Outcome Measures:
Catastrophic thinking was a consistent and major determinant of finger stiffness at suture removal and 6 weeks after injury. Future research should assess if treatments that ameliorate catastrophic thinking can facilitate recovery of finger motion after operative treatment of a distal radius fracture.
Level of evidence: Prognostic Level I. Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.
To identify demographic, injury-related, or psychologic factors associated with finger stiffness at suture removal and 6 weeks after distal radius fracture surgery. We hypothesize that there are no factors associated with distance to palmar crease at suture removal.
Design: Prospective cohort study.
Setting: Level I Academic Urban Trauma Center.
Patients: 116 adult patients underwent open reduction and internal fixation of their distal radius fractures; 96 of whom were also available 6 weeks after surgery.
Intervention: None.
Main Outcome Measures:
Catastrophic thinking was a consistent and major determinant of finger stiffness at suture removal and 6 weeks after injury. Future research should assess if treatments that ameliorate catastrophic thinking can facilitate recovery of finger motion after operative treatment of a distal radius fracture.
Level of evidence: Prognostic Level I. Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.