Removable brace is as good as plaster cast after surgically treated distal radius fracture – a randomised controlled study of pain and wrist function

• Published in: Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 691 - 7
• Main Authors: Blomstrand, Johanna, Sellbrant, Irén, Nellgård, Bengt, Karlsson, Jon, Fagevik Olsén, Monika, Kjellby Wendt, Gunilla
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 21.07.2025; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Care and treatment; Comparative analysis; Disability; Distal radius fracture; Hand therapy; Internal fixation in fractures; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Occupational therapy; Orthopaedics; Ortopedi; Pain; Patient compliance; Rehabilitation; Disability; Occupational therapy; Rehabilitation; Hand therapy; Distal radius fracture
• ISSN: 1749-799X; 1749-799X
• DOI: 10.1186/s13018-025-06097-0

Background A distal radius fracture (DRF) is one of the most common fractures and is often treated with open reduction and volar-plate fixation, followed by immobilisation with a cast. Both the type and length of immobilisation are still the subject of debate, and studies investigating a prefabricated brace as an alternative to a cast are lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the outcomes in terms of patients' perceived disability, pain and grip strength, in patients treated with conventional immobilisation using a plaster cast compared with a prefabricated, stable wrist brace. The hypothesis was that the brace would have equal effect compared to the traditional cast regarding perceived disability, pain and grip strength. Methods The study is a randomised controlled study (RCT), in which 60 patients were allocated to two groups, to either a cast or a prefabricated brace, following surgery after a distal radius fracture. The patients were assessed at five follow-ups in terms of perceived disability, pain and grip strength. Results The analysis of equivalence between the cast group and the brace group showed that the outcomes in the groups can be regarded as equivalent, since all the minimal clinical important differences (MCID) limits were outside the confidence range of differences (p < 0.05). This indicates that there is no difference in terms of a cast or brace in either patients' perceived disability, pain or grip strength at the measured time points. Conclusions A prefabricated, removable brace was shown to be an equally good choice for immobilisation as a cast, following surgery after distal radius fracture, in terms of patients' perceived disability, pain and grip strength. Trial registration FoU i VGR, project number: 228311, registered 13 June 2017, Keywords: Distal radius fracture, Hand therapy, Occupational therapy, Rehabilitation, Disability