REDUCED RANGE OF MOTION IN CHILDREN PREDISPOSE TO WRIST FRACTURES.

Abstract

Introduction: Subject to recent literature citing a reduction in ankle range of motion predisposing to ankle fractures in children, we decided prospectively to analyse the passive range of motion in children presenting to our fracture clinic with simple distal radial metaphyseal fractures treated conservatively in cast.

The range of motion was assessed by two observers, and measured using a goniometer in 80 patients. (42 radial fractures and 38 controls) The controls were recruited from children presenting with lower limb injuries and with no prior history of an upper limb injury or neuromuscular condition. The fractures were as a result of simple falls onto the outstretched hand with definite radiological and clinical findings. The range of motion in the contralateral limb was assessed. Both groups showed an equal distribution of dominant and non-dominant limbs.

Results: Both groups were well matched with an average age of 10 and 10.3 years fracture group and control group respectively, and gender 55% male fracture group and 52.5% control group. The m injured group showed a passive range of motion of 1680, whereas the control group showed a higher range of motion of 1820, a difference of 140 (p< . 005 student t-test). A third blinded independent observer of 20 children assessed Intra and interobserver error, and no observer was noted to have higher or lower readings.

Conclusion: Children with radial fractures have a lower passive range of motion of their wrists than Controls. This may contribute to the aetiology of wrist fractures in a paediatric population. An possible explanation may be as cited in original work that children who sustain fractures have less mobility around their joints due to reduced elasticity in their musculoskeletal framework. Simple passive stretching of fracture prone joints should therefore be advised.