Clinic follow-up after fracture fixation tends to measure what the surgeon can see — range, strength, the radiograph. Patients judge the result mostly by pain.
Start with a simple pain question and a numeric rating. If pain is persistent, look for a cause — malreduction, prominent or cutting-out metalwork, avascular necrosis, infection — before attributing it to stiffness and sending the patient back to physiotherapy.
- Record a 0–10 pain score at every follow-up.
- Ask when it hurts: at rest, at night, or with use.
- Persistent night pain warrants a fresh look at the radiograph.
Why it matters
The patient's verdict on the operation rests largely on pain.
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