What should be the timing of surgical treatment of humeral shaft fractures?

This study aims to evaluate the timing of surgery in surgically treated humeral shaft fractures, to investigate the effects of surgical time on fracture recovery and complications. This was a retrospective and observational study, based on patient data who underwent surgical treatment of humeral shaft fractures from January 2012 to January 2019. There were 52 patients (19 were women and 33 men) with traumatic humeral shaft fractures who were treated consecutively at our hospital. There was a statistically significant difference in time to start physical therapy, time between surgery and bone union, and time between bone fracture and bone union. The mean time to start physical therapy in group 1 was 6.5 weeks (range, 5–12 weeks), it was 10 weeks (range, 6–14 weeks) in group 2 (P < .001). The mean time between surgery and bone union in group 1 was 14.58 weeks (range, 12–20 weeks), it was 17.4 weeks (range, 8–30 weeks) in group 2 (P: .009). The mean time between bone fracture and bone union in group 1 was 113.2 days (range, 86–114 days), it was 179.2 days (range, 89–355 days) in group 2 (P < .001). Classically the first treatment option for humerus shaft fractures is conservative if there is no absolute surgical indication. Surgical treatment may be the first option if patients want to return to early everyday life. Delayed surgery means delayed physical therapy and this means delayed recovery and return to everyday life. In today's technology world, it should be discussed that the initial treatment of uncomplicated humerus shaft fractures is a conservative treatment.