Functional treatment of Colles fractures and the relation of anatomic recovery and function

: Functional treatment of Colles fractures is a recently developed approach to fracture injury. It aims to bring about faster recovery and a better functional end result by permitting early motion and function by means of a functional brace. Early motion and function, however, might jeopardize the anatomical result. Whether an inferior anatomical result jeopardizes the functional end result is not clear, as the relationship between anatomy and function has not been established. In a prospective clinical study it was concluded that in displaced Colles fractures functional treatment with a below-the-elbow functional brace offers little advantage over conventional plaster of Paris immobilisation. Minimally displaced Colles fractures (volar angle greater than or equal to 0 degrees) should be treated with a bandage after one week of plaster immobilisation. The relationship between the anatomical and functional end result is weak and probably depends on initial displacement and complications. To improve the functional result after a Colles fracture, prevention and better treatment of complications seem to be more important than improvement of the method of fracture treatment of the anatomical end result.