Comparison of Upper Limb Function with Sling and Abduction Pillows after Proximal Humerus Two-Part Fracture Surgery

Abstract

Proximal humerus fractures are one of the most common upper limb fractures and cause shoulder and upper limb dysfunction. It is important to monitor upper limb function after proximal humerus fractures. After surgery for these types of fractures, especially tow-part fractures, a specific protocol that is accepted by everyone has not been explained. Therefore, this study will be conducted with the aim of comparing the function of the upper limb using the two methods for immobilization arm, Sling and Abduction Pillows after the surgery of Tow-Part fractures of the proximal humerus in order to achieve acceptable results for improving the function of the upper limb in these types of fractures. Materials and Methods: In this study, 40 patients who undergo surgery due to tow-part fractures of the proximal humerus were included in the study. Patients will be randomly divided into two groups. Slings were used for one group and abduction pillows for the other group for 4-6 weeks after surgery. Upper limb functional status was measured using the DASH instrument and pain intensity was also measured using the VAS instrument in the first week, the sixth week, and twelve and the 24th week after surgery and compared between the two groups. Also assess the need for physiotherapy in these patients and compared between the two groups.The consumption of oral painkillers was compared in two groups Results: Examination of the ROM range of motion indicated that the range of motion in the Abduction pillow group patients was significantly better than the simple sling group in the short term (P˂0.05); But in the final result, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups, meaning that the results of these two groups are almost the same in the long term (P>0.05). the range of motion of the shoulder joint was non-significantly better in the long term in the group using Abduction pillows than the other group. The need for physical therapy was clearly higher in the sling group than in the abduction pillows group(P<0/05). At all times, the intensity of pain and the amount of painkillers consumed in the simple sling group are significantly higher than the abduction pillows group (P<0.05). The DASH score was non-significantly lower in the abduction pillows group than the Sling group at all times (P>0.05).