[Conservative therapy of isolated radius head fracture--immobilization or early functional movement treatment?]

We reviewed 95 patients with isolated fractures of the radial head. 33 of them were treated by plaster cast fixation for three weeks, 62 by immediate active motion. No difference in frequency of arthrosis and periarticular ossification in both groups could be observed. Examination of the patients two to four years after trauma showed excellent functional results in 61% of the 33 patients and in 77% of the 62 patients. The average duration of treatment is shorter by two weeks in the group of immediate active motion. The clinical results of this group, although not statistically significant, seem to be better than after immobilization.