Outpatient versus At-Home Physical Therapy Following Distal Biceps Repair

Document Type : RESEARCH PAPER

Authors

Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, Philadelphia, PA, USA

10.22038/abjs.2025.81641.3717

Abstract

Objectives: Distal biceps repair is a common orthopedic procedure, but there is still debate regarding 
the optimal post-operative care for patients. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of athome physical therapy compared to outpatient physical therapy following distal biceps tendon r epair.
Methods: A retrospective review of distal biceps repairs performed between 2012 and 2017 by four fellowshiptrained orthopedic surgeons at one institution was undertaken. Patients were grouped into outpatient physical 
therapy and at-home therapy groups. Exclusion criteria included any patients who did not undergo a direct repair of 
the distal biceps and cases in which allograft augmentation was utilized. Postoperative complications were identified 
by manual chart review. After a minimum of three years follow-up, demographic information as well as elbow 
functional outcome scores including the Quick Dash, Mayo Elbow Performance Index, and Oxford Elbow Scores 
were obtained via phone calls and online surveys.
Results: One hundred and forty-six patients were included in this study at a mean follow-up of 6.3 years for patients 
who attended outpatient physical therapy and 5.9 years for patients who performed an at-home therapy program. 
There were twenty-eight patients in the at-home physical therapy group and one hundred eighteen patients in the 
outpatient physical therapy group. There were two complications: one re-ruptured distal biceps tendon requiring a 
revision surgery in the at-home patient cohort, and one post-operative posterior interosseous nerve palsy that 
recovered after 6 months in the outpatient rehabilitation group. We found there was no significant difference between 
the two groups for any of the three functional elbow scores.
Conclusion: Patients undergoing routine distal biceps repair may achieve similar clinical outcomes with a 
regimented at-home physical therapy protocol in lieu of formal outpatient physical therapy.
 Level of evidence: IV

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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The Archives of Bone and Joint Surgery
Volume 13, Issue 7
July 2025
Pages 420-425

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History

  • Receive Date: 04 August 2024
  • Revise Date: 19 February 2025
  • Accept Date: 08 March 2025

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