Fifty-six tibial fractures in fifty-five children, sixteen years old or
younger, and seventeen femoral fractures in seventeen children in the same
age group, seven of them with associated tibial fractures, were treated by
fracture-bracing. The tibial fractures healed in an average of 13.2 weeks
with no complications that could be attributed to failure of the method.
The femoral fractures healed in an average of seventeen weeks. There was an
angular femoral deformity of more than 5 degrees in seven of seventeen
patients, all but one in fractures of the middle third of the femoral
shaft. Of nine distal fractures, only one had angulation of more than 5
degrees. Therefore, the method should be restricted to fractures in the
distal third of the femoral shaft. Fracture-bracing gave more freedom to
the child and was eminently satisfactory to the parents.