Patient discussions

Patients should be counseled about the benefits of rehabilitation therapy and informed that they should expect improvement in range of motion and strength for up to 12 months after the fracture. Patients undergoing surgery for major extremity trauma should be counseled that there may be an increased risk for surgical site infection if they smoke or have diabetes or obesity.[44][54] Significant alcohol use (>14 units per week) increases the risk of infection postoperatively.[44][54]

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