Rehabilitative program after fractures-dislocations of proximal humerus treated with modular hemiarthroplasty

The Authors illustrate the post-operative rehabilitation program for twelve patients who have undergone shoulder prosthesis for proximal humerus fractures-dislocations or four-fragment fractures involving the humeral head, diaphysis and tuberosities. In all these cases a modular cemented “Aequalis” humeral prosthesis was used. We have applied the rehabilitation program as described by Neer, with a few modification, allowing hydrokinesitherapy, that in the Neer protocol is only contemplated five months after surgery, once the active work has commenced. It was possible to follow-up on ten of the twelve patients for four or five years. The validity of the protocol has been confirmed by the good results obtained from both the function and pain aspects, the latter being slight or absent in most cases.