Distal Radial Fractures in Adult Patients: 4 Weeks Versus 6 Weeks of Cast Immobilization

Liaquat National Hospital & Medical College

Status: Invitation-only

Conditions: Fracture Forearm; Radius Distal Fracture

Treatments: Procedure: Short Arm Cast for Distal Radius Fracture for four weeks; Procedure: Short Arm Cast for Distal Radius Fracture for six weeks

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07234370

R.C-LNH-Orthpedics-05/2025/52

Details and patient eligibility

About

Post-intervention outcomes comparing casting in distal radius fractures of four weeks versus six weeks.

Full description

Cast immobilization for 6 weeks remains the mainstay of therapy for distal radius fractures. To challenge the therapeutic time frame, participants will be randomized into two arms, and the treatment arm will undergo immobilization for 4 weeks. Outcomes will be assessed at cast removal and then at 3 and 6 months prospectively using the Quick-DASH score and the DASH score (only at 6 months).

Enrollment: 80 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with DRF undergoing conservative management with cast immobilization
• Age between 18 to 50 years.

Exclusion criteria

• Any syndromic patients
• Any patients with musculoskeletal disease
• Patients having osteoporosis
• Post-menopausal females
• Smokers
• Ages less than 18 or greater than 50
• Patients presenting with intra-articular fractures

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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80 participants in 2 patient groups

Cast immobilization for four weeks

Experimental group

Description:

Scotch cast immobilization for a period of four weeks applied to distal radius fractures.

Treatment:

Procedure: Short Arm Cast for Distal Radius Fracture for four weeks

Cast immobilization for six weeks

Active Comparator group

Description:

Scotch cast immobilization for a period of six weeks applied to distal radius fractures

Treatment:

Procedure: Short Arm Cast for Distal Radius Fracture for six weeks