Efficacy of Superficial Heat Therapy as an Adjunct to Therapeutic Exercise Program in Rehabilitation of Patients with Conservatively Managed Distal End Radius Fractures

Various modalities like heat therapy, cold packs have been empirically used in the past in rehabilitation of subjects with distal end radius fractures, after removal of cast immobilization. However there is paucity of scientific evidence about efficacy of any of these modalities in improving pain, movement or function in these subjects. Hence, the objective of our study was to study the effectiveness of superficial heat along with exercise program versus exercise program alone in subjects with conservatively managed distal end radius fractures.

A prospective clinical trial of 18 subjects with conservatively managed distal end radius fracture was carried out. Outcome measures assessed were pain on visual analogue scale, ranges of motion of wrist and radio-ulnar joint and score on Patient Rated Wrist Evaluation scale (PRWE). Subjects were randomly divided into 2 groups; Group A received superficial heat in the form of hydrocollator packs followed by therapeutic exercise program and Group B received only therapeutic exercise program. The duration of treatment was 3 weeks with total 10 supervised physiotherapy sessions on alternate days. The patients were reassessed after 3 weeks. The data obtained was analyzed statistically and results were displayed graphically.

The results showed that both groups A and B showed statistically significant improvement in pain, range of motion of wrist and radio ulnar joints and PRWE score after 3 weeks. (P<0.5) Between group comparison showed that improvement in pain, ranges of wrist flexion and extension and PRWE score in group A was more and statistically significant as compared to that in group B. (P<0.5) Thus, it was concluded that superficial heat therapy given as an adjunct to therapeutic exercise program results in more effective improvement in pain, wrist range of motion and hand function in rehabilitation of conservatively managed distal end radius fractures.