Factors Affecting Functional Recovery After Volar Locking Plate Fixation for Distal Radius Fractures

There is still no certainty about factors delaying functional recovery after surgery, although volar locking plate (VLP) fixation is the mainstay of treatment for distal radius fractures (DRFs), and several good postoperative recoveries have been reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting functional recovery after VLP fixation for DRF.

The subjects included 104 patients (84 females, 20 males, mean age: 63.2 ± 13.8 years) treated with VLP fixation for DRF, who could be followed for 1 year. The Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) score, grip strength, and range of motion of the wrist joint were measured at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively, and the primary outcome was the QuickDASH score. A multiple regression analysis adjusted for age and sex was used to analyze factors affecting functional recovery at 12 months.

A multiple regression analysis showed that the factors that significantly influenced the QuickDASH score at 1 year postoperatively were the grip strength ratio to the uninjured side, dominancy of the injured hand, and postoperative ulnar variance, in descending order of involvement. Trauma energy, history of diabetes, fracture type, complications, and range of motion were not included in the model.

Smaller grip strength, dominant-hand injury, and larger postoperative ulnar variance significantly worsened the QuickDASH score at 1 year postoperatively. In order to achieve satisfactory functional recovery at 1 year after surgery, we confirmed that it is important to surgically achieve smaller postoperative ulnar variance and increase grip strength.