Table 2 Characteristics of 129 Patients with Distal Radius Fractures

Age

50 years (15); Range 18–78

Dominance

Right 91%; Left 9%

Sex

Female 68%, Male 32%

Injured Hand

Right 48%, Left 51%, Both1%

Dominant Hand Injured

Yes 51%, No 49%

Worker's Compensated Injury

No 92%, Yes 7%, Pending 1%

Legal Action Involved

No 96%, Yes 1%, Pending 3%

Type of Fracture

Extra-articular – 23%,

Partial-articular – 39%,

Complete articular – 38%

Type of Injury

Low energy (fall from level) – 60%

Medium (fall from height or with speed) – 33%

High (associated with high impact like industrial machine or motor vehicle accident – 7%

Mechanism of Injury

Fall ice/snow – 21%

Other fall – 72%

Other – 7%

Type of Fracture Involved (AO Type)

A) Extra-articular – 27%

B) Partial – Articular 36%

C) Complete articular – 38%

Primary Treatment

Cast only – 20%

Reduction plus casting – 31%

Closed reduction with fixation – 5%

Arthroscopic reduction and pinning – 9%

Arthrosporic reduction and external fixation – 15%

Open reduction and internal fixation – 7%

Open reduction internal and external fixation – 2%

Open reduction with bone grating – 11%

Medical problems

None – 59%

Heart – 2%

Arthritis – 9%

Diabetes – 1%

Other – 29%

Post menopausal (women)

68%

Occupational demand (hand)

Low – 42%

Moderate 29%

High – 30%

Baseline Work status

Retired – 25%

Homemaker – 16%

Student – 2%

Unemployed – 4%

Other medical disability – 3%

Unable to work due to injury – 33%*

Working – 18%

*76% of working patients lost time due to injury

Use of Pain medications

Never – 34%

Occasionally – 18%

Daily – 21%

Several times a day – 26%

Rehabilitation

Formal physiotherapy – 82%

Previous or Current Injury to Same Arm

20%

Previous or Current Injury to Other Arm

26%