Keywords
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the functional and radiological effectiveness of PTB bracing in closed tibial shaft fractures at National Orthopedic and General Hospital, Bahawalpur.
Study design: It was a Single group Pretest-posttest experimental study.
Place and duration of study: The study was conducted at National Orthopedic and general hospital of Bahawalpur from February to July 2025.
Material and Methods: In this experimental study, 30 participants with closed, minimally displaced injuries of the tibial shaft followed by PTB brace were recruited by using convenience sampling technique. Data was collected by measuring ROM at knee joint and fracture healing with the use of Radiographic Union Scale of Tibial Fractures (RUST). Data was analyzed by using SPSS. Paired t test was used to measure the changes between pre and post-intervention.
Results: Among the participants, the highest percentage belonged to the 25–35-year age group (53.3%), while road traffic accidents accounted for 43.3% of all tibial shaft fracture cases. The mean knee flexion showed a significant improvement from a baseline of 99.33 ± 14.60° to 106.73 ± 11.80° after one month (p < 0.001). Similarly, the mean RUST score increased significantly from 1.77 ± 0.62 to 3.17 ± 0.62 (p < 0.001)
Conclusion: When bracing is applied, PTB achieves a significant increase in functional mobility as well as faster healing of fractures in stable tibial shaft fractures. It also offers an alternative option to surgical management.
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