Mirror therapy for distal radial fractures: A pilot randomized controlled study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Pain Management

Background:

• Distal radial fractures are common injuries impacting upper extremity function.
• Effective rehabilitation strategies are crucial for pain reduction and functional recovery.
• Mirror therapy is a novel approach explored for pain and disability management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of mirror therapy compared to conventional occupational therapy in patients with distal radial fractures.
• To assess the impact of mirror therapy on pain, functional disability, and range of motion.

Main Methods:

• A pilot randomized controlled study involving 22 patients with closed distal radial fractures.
• Patients were allocated to either mirror therapy (experimental group) or conventional occupational therapy (control group).
• Pain was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS); functional recovery was assessed with the Quick-DASH and active wrist extension.

Main Results:

• Both groups demonstrated improvements in pain, disability, and range of motion post-intervention.
• No statistically significant differences were found between the mirror therapy and control groups in Quick-DASH scores, active wrist extension, or VAS scores.
• Mirror therapy was not found to be superior to conventional occupational therapy.

Conclusions:

• Mirror therapy did not provide additional benefits over conventional occupational therapy for managing pain and disability in distal radial fractures.
• Further research may be needed to explore modified mirror therapy protocols or specific patient subgroups.