Scoping Review of Occupational Therapy for Distal Radius Fractures, Including Complications

This scoping review is aimed at identifying and mapping occupational therapy-related assessments and interventions reported in prospective interventional studies and case reports on distal radius fractures, including studies addressing complications. Additionally, the review sought to summarize the current evidence in this field and identify areas requiring further research. Five studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies primarily emphasized impairment-level outcomes, such as range of motion and grip strength, whereas activity, participation, occupational performance, and psychosocial aspects were addressed less frequently. Only a limited number of studies reported complications, and the included studies generally employed relatively narrow eligibility criteria. These findings suggest that existing evidence may have limited applicability to the broader population of patients with distal radius fractures, particularly those with complications. Future research should include broader patient populations and incorporate occupation-focused approaches to better address activity, participation, and occupational performance in distal radius fracture rehabilitation.