Complex Regional Pain Syndrome After Distal Radius Fracture: Prevention Evidence and a Randomized Trial of Mirror Therapy

This course is written for physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and certified hand therapists who see patients during and after immobilization for a distal radius fracture, and who also see patients already carrying a diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome type 1 of the hand. Occupational therapists working in hand therapy will find the same material relevant. Physical therapist assistants may take this course; the course describes the assistant’s contribution as care delivered under the direction and supervision of the physical therapist, with evaluation, diagnosis and plan-of-care decisions remaining with the therapist.

Physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, certified hand therapists and occupational therapists in outpatient orthopedic, hand and upper extremity settings.

Intended audience

Physical Therapy

Level

Intermediate

Delivery format

Online, asynchronous, self-paced course: interactive reading with audio or video, and a scored post-test.

Based on

Serôdio IN, Saiz-Vázquez O, Ortiz-Huerta H, Simón-Vicente L, Santamaría-Vázquez M. Preventing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome After Distal Radius Fracture: A Systematic Review of Rehabilitation and Clinical Prophylaxis Strategies. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2026;11(2). doi:10.3390/jfmk11020158

Özdemir EC, Elhan AH, Küçükdeveci AA. Effects of mirror therapy in post-traumatic complex regional pain syndrome type-1: a randomized controlled study. J Rehabil Med. 2024;56:jrm40417. doi:10.2340/jrm.v56.40417

Both papers are reported as the authors reported them. Medications and supplements described in these studies are reported here, not recommended by this course.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe which strategies for preventing complex regional pain syndrome after distal radius fracture the systematic review reported as promising and which it reported as inconclusive.
2. State what the randomized controlled trial found when mirror therapy was added to a routine physical therapy and rehabilitation program for trauma-induced complex regional pain syndrome type 1 of the hand.
3. Distinguish the prevention evidence from the treatment evidence across the two papers, and name the limits each set of authors placed on its own conclusions.

1. Start Here: The Clinical Question and How This Course Is Built
2. Part One: Preventing CRPS After Distal Radius Fracture
3. Who Was Studied: Adults With Distal Radius Fracture at Risk of CRPS
4. How the Review Was Searched, Selected and Appraised
5. What the Nine Included Studies Reported
6. What the Reviewers Said the Evidence Can and Cannot Support
7. Part Two: Mirror Therapy for Post-Traumatic CRPS Type 1
8. Who Took Part: Acute Trauma-Induced CRPS Type 1 of the Hand
9. How the Trial Ran: Routine Rehabilitation With and Without a Mirror
10. What Changed in Both Groups and What Did Not Differ
11. What the Trial Authors Concluded and Where the Trial Falls Short
12. Bringing It Together
13. Where the Two Papers Agree
14. Where the Findings Diverge and Which Paper Found What
15. What a Hand Therapy Plan of Care Can Draw From Both
16. What Remains Unanswered After Both Papers
17. Key Takeaways
18. Post-Test and Course Evaluation

Quinn Millington, PT, DPT, ECS is the instructor of record: the licensed clinician who reviewed this course and signed off on it. The name and credentials print on the certificate.

Disclosures. This course was developed by The ConEd Solution, which has a financial interest in its sale. No outside funding or sponsorship was received. The instructor of record has no affiliation with the authors of the source publication or their institutions.

This course awards 1.0 contact hour (60 min). How you earn them:

1. Complete the course. Every lesson, in order.
2. Pass the post-test. Score 80% or higher. Retakes are allowed.
3. Complete the evaluation. A short form rating each learning objective and the course.
4. Download your certificate. It is issued on completion and stays available in My Account.

The episode time is its measured length. Reading, post-test and evaluation times are estimates.

This course is designed to satisfy the quality requirements state boards set for continuing education. Requirements vary by state, and confirming that a course fits your renewal is up to you. Each state’s own acceptance statement is in the credit panel on this page.

1. Serôdio IN, Saiz-Vázquez O, Ortiz-Huerta H, Simón-Vicente L, Santamaría-Vázquez M. Preventing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome After Distal Radius Fracture: A Systematic Review of Rehabilitation and Clinical Prophylaxis Strategies. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2026;11(2). doi:10.3390/jfmk11020158
2. Özdemir EC, Elhan AH, Küçükdeveci AA. Effects of mirror therapy in post-traumatic complex regional pain syndrome type-1: a randomized controlled study. J Rehabil Med. 2024;56:jrm40417. doi:10.2340/jrm.v56.40417