Angle Specific Torque Profiles After Distal Radius Fracture

Plain-language summary

Distal radius fracture (DRF) is one of the most common upper extremity injuries and can lead to long-term kinesiological and anatomical alterations despite proper surgical fixation and rehabilitation. This retrospective cohort study aims to analyze the angle-specific torque characteristics of wrist (flexion/extension), forearm (supination/pronation), and elbow (flexion/extension) movements in patients with a history of DRF treated by volar plate fixation. The study will utilize archived raw data of 37 eligible patients who underwent isokinetic strength testing during the post-rehabilitation period. Data will be extracted from Cybex NORM® and Humac isokinetic dynamometer systems and analyzed using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) with the open-source spm1d package in MATLAB. This analysis will generate 101-point angle-dependent torque curves for each joint movement and will be used to evaluate interlimb asymmetry, angle of peak torque production, and unilateral agonist/antagonist torque ratios. Additionally, radiographic images archived during the treatment period will be analyzed to measure radial inclination, palmar tilt, and ulnar variance using the Dresdner scoring system. The torque profiles and radiological parameters will be statistically analyzed with SPSS. Between-limb comparisons and symmetry indices will be calculated using repeated-measures ANOVA, t-tests or non-parametric alternatives, depending on data distribution. This research is expected to provide new insights into the kinesiological consequences of DRF by presenting detailed angle-specific torque characteristics, going beyond conventional peak torque and range of motion assessments commonly seen in the literature.

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