ArticlePlastic and reconstructive surgery2014
Variation in the incidence of distal radius fractures in the U.S. elderly as related to slippery weather conditions.
Article in Plastic and reconstructive surgery, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 34 citations in OpenAlex.
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on osteoporotic fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Annals of medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Trial
- Graded motor imagery for women at risk for developing type I CRPS following closed treatment of distal radius fractures: a randomized comparative effectiveness trial protocol.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2018Trial
- Risk factors associated with injurious falls on snow or ice: results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.Innovation in aging · 2026Article
- Fractures sustained by slipping on ice or snow: an epidemiological study of 50,500 fractures from the Swedish Fracture Register.Acta orthopaedica · 2025Article
- Article
- Association between ambient temperature and economic burden of unintentional injury in Tianjin: a case-crossover study.BMJ open · 2024Article
- Chronic Steroid Use, Complications, and Readmission Following Open Reduction Internal Fixation of Distal Radius Fracture.Journal of hand surgery global online · 2023Article
- The risk of injuries during work and its association with precipitation: New insight from a sentinel-based surveillance and a case-crossover design.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- Epidemiology of distal radius fractures: a detailed survey on a large sample of patients in a suburban area.Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology : official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology · 2022Article
- Seasonally Dependent Change of the Number of Fractures after 50 Years of Age in Poland-Analysis of Combined Health Care and Climate Datasets.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- The impact of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic on osteoporotic fragility fractures: an observational study.Archives of osteoporosis · 2020Observational
- Epidemiology, classification, treatment and mortality of distal radius fractures in adults: an observational study of 23,394 fractures from the national Swedish fracture register.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2020Observational
- Considerations in the Treatment of Osteoporotic Distal Radius Fractures in Elderly Patients.Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine · 2019Review
- Impact of Economic Downturn on the Surgical Volumes of Common Hand Procedures.Plastic and reconstructive surgery · 2019Article
- Incidence and Seasonal Variation of Distal Radius Fractures in Korea: a Population-based Study.Journal of Korean medical science · 2018Article
- The Effect of Season and Weather on Orthopaedic Trauma: Consult Volume Is Significantly Correlated with Daily Weather.Advances in orthopedics · 2018Article
- Exploring the relationship between fall risk-increasing drugs and fall-related fractures.International journal of clinical pharmacy · 2016Article
- Insights from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW).Nature reviews. Endocrinology · 2014Observational
- Snow Catastrophe Conditions: What is its Impact on Orthopedic Injuries?The archives of bone and joint surgery · 2014Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundDistal radius fractures are costly and debilitating injuries, especially for the elderly. These fractures often occur from falls and commonly occur outdoors. Inclement weather may increase the risk of fall-related injuries. Small studies have reported an increased risk of distal radius fracture caused by inclement winter weather; larger studies are lacking.
methodsThe authors analyzed a sample of 2007 Medicare claims for distal radius fracture. Weather data were collected for the date and location of each distal radius fracture in the authors' analysis cohort. A novel slipperiness score was used as a measure of the severity of slippery outdoor conditions. Negative binomial regression models evaluated the correlation between slipperiness and distal radius fracture occurrence.
resultsRisk of distal radius fracture was higher in winter months (incidence rate ratio, 1.2; p < 0.001). Days with average temperature less than or equal to 32°F (incidence rate ratio, 1.36; p < 0.001), snow/ice on the ground at the start of the day (incidence rate ratio, 1.45; p < 0.001), and freezing rain (incidence rate ratio, 1.24; p = 0.025) all had an increased risk of distal radius fracture. The risk of sustaining a distal radius fracture was increased 21 percent on days with a slipperiness score above 4 (incidence rate ratio, 1.21; p = 0.007). For each increase in slipperiness score above 4, the incidence rate ratio of distal radius fracture increased as well.
conclusionsWeather events that create slippery walking conditions, often in the winter, result in an increased risk of distal radius fracture in the elderly. This finding can be used to support resource allocation and awareness and prevention campaigns. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, IV.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.