Kj. Koval et al., FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME AFTER MINIMALLY DISPLACED FRACTURES OF THE PROXIMAL PART OF THE HUMERUS, Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume, 79A(2), 1997, pp. 203-207
One hundred and four patients who had a minimally displaced fracture o
f the proximal part of the humerus (a so-called one-part fracture) wer
e managed with a standardized therapy regimen and followed for more th
an one year, The clinical outcome was assessed on the basis of pain, f
unction, and the range of motion of the shoulder, The duration of foll
ow-up averaged forty-one months (range, twelve to 117 months), All fra
ctures united without additional displacement, Eighty patients (77 per
cent) had a good or excellent result, fourteen (13 per cent) had a fa
ir result, and ten (10 per cent) had a poor result, Ninety-four patien
ts (90 per cent) had either no or mild pain in the shoulder, eight (8
per cent) had moderate pain, and two (2 per cent) had severe pain, Fun
ctional recovery averaged 94 per cent; forty-eight patients (46 per ce
nt) had 100 per cent functional recovery, At the time of the most rece
nt follow-up, Forward elevation of the injured shoulder averaged 89 pe
r cent; external rotation, 87 per cent; and internal rotation, 88 per
cent that of the uninjured shoulder, The percentage of good and excell
ent results was significantly greater (p < 0.01) and external rotation
was significantly better (p < 0.01) at the time of the latest follow-
up for the patients who had started supervised physical therapy less t
han fourteen days after the injury than for the patients who had start
ed such therapy at fourteen days or later.