Artikel
Consideration of the application of serial static splinting for elbow flexion contractures
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Autoren
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Yuka Yamanaka
- Saiseikai-Otaru-Hospital, Otaru, Japan
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Rikiya Shirato
- Hokkaido Bunkyo University, Eniwa, Japan
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Nozomi Kojima
- Saiseikai-Otaru-Hospital, Otaru, Japan
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Takashi Oda
- Saiseikai-Otaru-Hospital, Otaru, Japan
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Takuro Wada
- Saiseikai-Otaru-Hospital, Otaru, Japan
| Veröffentlicht: | 6. Februar 2020 |
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Gliederung
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Objective: Effects of the serial static splinting (SSS) for elbow flexion contracture have been reported in a number of studies. However, appropriate criteria for the application of SSS for elbow flexion contracture have not yet been established. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the appropriate criteria for the application of SSS for elbow flexion contractures after surgery.
Materials and Methods: Patients receiving SSS for elbow flexion contractures between April 2016 and March 2017 were assessed. Age, gender, diagnosis, intraoperative range of motion (ROM) of the elbow, status at the start and end of SSS (days after surgery, flexion and extension ROM of the elbow, ROM deficit in comparison to the intraoperative ROM).
Results: Five patients (4 females and 1 male, mean age of 59.8 years) were assessed. The diagnosis included distal humerus fractures in 2 patients, osteoarthritis of the elbow in 2 patients and a dislocation fracture of the elbow in 1 patient. The mean intraoperative ROM was -8° of extension and 140° of flexion. The application of SSS started with -23° of extension and 125° of the flexion at 6.6 weeks after surgery. The ROM deficit was -15° extension and -7° of flexion in comparison with the intraoperative ROM. The extension ROM did not improve for more than for 2 weeks continuously. At the end of SSS (at a mean of 16.0 weeks after surgery), the elbow ROM was -13° of extension and 127° of flexion, and the ROM deficit was -5° of extension and -13° of flexion in comparison with the intraoperative ROM.
Conclusions: The conditions for the application of SSS for elbow flexion contractures obtained in this study were as follows: (1) SSS was started at the mean of 6.6 weeks after surgery, (2) the ROM deficit for extension was larger than the intraoperative extension ROM, (3) the extension ROM did not improve for more than for 2 weeks continuously, and (4) flexion ROM of more than 120° was obtained. These findings could be used in the future as application criteria for SSS.
