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Physical therapy lacks benefit in children with supracondylar humeral fracture
A short course of physical therapy did not help return function or elbow motion in children undergoing closed treatment of a supracondylar humeral fracture, according to study results.
The study included 61 patients with supracondylar humeral fracture treated with either casting or closed reduction and pinning followed by casting. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either no further treatment (no-PT group) or six sessions of a standardized hospital-based physical therapy program (PT group).
To assess function, the researchers used Activities Scale for Kids-performance (ASK-p) scores and self-assessments of activity at 1, 9, 15 and 27 weeks after injury. They also measured motion at 9 and 15 weeks and anxiety at 1 and 9 weeks after injury.
Significantly better ASK-p scores were noted in the no-PT group at 9 and 15 weeks after injury, according to the researchers; however, the difference at 27 weeks was not significant. With respect to performance of activities of daily living or time to return to sports, the researchers found no differences between the two groups.
In the PT group, anxiety at 9 weeks was associated with worse ASK-p scores at 9 and 15 weeks, but better in the no-PT group, according to the researchers.
No differences were found between the groups with respect to elbow motion in the injured arm at any time, and severity of injury had no impact on function or elbow motion in either group.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.