Abstract
Colles’ fracture is a relatively uncommon presentation to a chiropractic office. A case of a 74-year-old woman complaining of pain, loss of strength and diminished range of motion in her left wrist is presented. These complaints were the result of a slip and fall causing a Colles’ fracture that occurred four weeks prior to presentation. Dynamometer and goniometric testing revealed significant losses of strength and range of motion when compared to the unaffected wrist. Initial therapy consisted of ice, wax bath application and gentle range of motion mobilizations for two weeks followed by entry into a supervised active rehabilitation program for a further three weeks. After thirteen visits, the patient demonstrated objective improvement in both range of motion and grip strength as well as subjective improvement in pain intensity. A rehabilitation protocol is proposed for clinicians with patients suffering from Colles’ fractures. Appropriate management may begin passively and ultimately leads to a supervised active program for optimal results.
Keywords: fracture, wrist, rehabilitation
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