Return to Yoga Rates Are High After Volar Plating of Distal Radius Fractures

Background: Yoga is a popular activity involving extreme wrist positioning and extension loading. Our purpose was to quantify the prevalence of preoperative yoga participation and characterize subsequent ability to return to yoga in patients undergoing volar locked plating of distal radius fractures. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all cases of distal radius open reduction internal fixation between August 2015 and March 2017. Patients were included if they were treated with volar locked plating and if they participated in yoga on a regular basis preoperatively. Patients were contacted at a minimum of 1 year postoperatively and surveyed about yoga participation. Results: A total of 149 patients who underwent distal radius volar plating were surveyed. Thirty-one patients (32 procedures, 20.8% of surveyed patients) participated in yoga on a regular basis preoperatively. Overall, 90.3% returned to yoga in some capacity. Mean times to return to yoga in any capacity, with weight-bearing, and in a "steady state" were 5.7, 7.4, and 10.0 months, respectively. Of patients who resumed yoga, 65.5% returned to the same or better level of yoga. Satisfaction with participation in yoga was 8.9 (out of 10). Conclusions: We found a relatively high yoga participation rate in patients undergoing distal radius fracture fixation, suggesting the need to be able to effectively counsel these patients. Our results demonstrate a high rate of return to yoga, although approximately one-third of patients experienced a decreased level of participation. Surgeons can use this information to set appropriate expectations.