Evaluation of Vitamin D Level and Grip Strength Recovery in Women With a Distal Radius Fracture

Purpose Vitamin D is known to contribute to muscular function. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the level of vitamin D is associated with grip strength recovery in women after a distal radius fracture. Methods We analyzed grip strength recovery after a distal radius fracture in 70 women over age 50 years. We measured vitamin D levels and grip strength recovery, which we analyzed as a function of age, surgical care, baseline vitamin D level, vitamin D supplementation, wrist range of motion, pain level, and radiographic results at 6 months. We performed multivariate analysis to identify factors that independently predicted grip strength recovery at 6 months after injury. Results Grip strength of affected hands averaged 65% of the contralateral sides (range, 25% to 100%) at 6 months after injury. We found no significant correlation between baseline vitamin D level and grip strength recovery. However, baseline vitamin D level correlated with the grip strengths of uninjured sides. Multivariate analysis indicated that younger age, vitamin D supplementation, and greater wrist range of motion were independently associated with better grip strength recovery at 6 months after injury. Conclusions This study demonstrated that in women with a distal radius fracture, baseline vitamin D level is not associated with grip strength recovery in the injured hand. However, baseline vitamin D level correlated with grip strength in the uninjured hand. In addition, vitamin D supplementation may help grip strength recovery in the injured hand. Further prospective, comparative studies are warranted to confirm the effect of vitamin D supplementation on grip strength recovery. (J Hand Surg 2013;38A:519-525. Copyright (C) 2013 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. All rights reserved.)