Pre-operative soft tissue injuries as independent predictors of elbow stiffness after radial head fracture fixation: a pilot study

This pilot study provides strong preliminary evidence that specific soft tissue injuries, particularly of the AC and pMCL, are independent predictors of post-operative stiffness, whereas immobilization duration is not. The study was underpowered to definitively rule out a small effect of immobilization. These findings justify the need for a large, multicenter trial to confirm these associations and establish evidence-based post-operative guidelines.