Monitoring distal radius fractures during rehabilitation using infrared thermography

Distal radius fractures are among the most common injuries with a relevant rehabilitation process. Following a tissue injury, an inflammatory response occurs, leading to an increase in local temperature. This temperature can be recorded using infrared thermography. This study aimed to determine the degree of skin temperature asymmetry in patients with distal radius fractures during the rehabilitation process, at the beginning and at discharge, as well as to examine the correlation between thermal asymmetry and clinical indicators of injury.

Infrared images of the forearms with distal radius fractures were taken from 17 patients at two time points: the first during the initial visit with the rehabilitation physician, and the second at the time of medical discharge. In addition, different clinical variables were recorded (e.g., pain perception, the degree of dorsal flexion, palmar flexion, supination, or pronation, etc.).

The injured wrist exhibited higher skin temperature than the non-injured wrist (mean difference: 0.8-2.0 °C; maximum: 0.9-1.8 °C; minimum: 0.5-2.1 °C) at the beginning of the rehabilitation. In the second visit, at the time of patient discharge, none of the thermal variables showed differences between the two extremities (p>0.05). Dorsiflexion was the only clinical variable that showed an association with thermal asymmetries (R² = 0.10).

These findings support the use of infrared thermography as a complementary, non-invasive technique for monitoring inflammation and recovery during the rehabilitation of distal radius fractures.