NCT00438633

Comparison of Early and Late Therapy for Adults With Non-Operatively Treated Proximal Humerus Fractures

Early vs Delayed Physical Therapy (Exercises) for Non-Operatively-Treated Proximal Humerus Fractures: A Prospective Randomized Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 63 (actual)
• Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of the study is to compare two common ways of rehabilitating after proximal humerus fractures treated non-operatively.

Detailed description

Proximal humerus fractures with limited displacement and fractures that occur in older, less active or infirm patients are treated non-operatively. There is a general impression, supported by some data, that better function is obtained with immediate initiation of shoulder exercises. However, there is some concern that this may contribute to nonunion of the fracture and may be unnecessary. Some researchers have demonstrated better outcomes with immediate rehabilitation with pendulum movements. Others have shown similar functional outcomes when rehabilitation begins approximately a month after injury, or when radiographs show signs of bone healing, and this delay is associated with lower rates of non-union and malunion occurrence.

Conditions

• Proximal Humeral Fractures

Timeline

• Start date: 2005-02-01
• Primary completion: 2014-03-01
• Completion: 2014-03-01
• First posted: 2007-02-22
• Last updated: 2019-06-21
• Results posted: 2019-06-21

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States