Introduction: Metacarpal fractures are viewed as minor injuries, potentially leading to
reduced hand function and productivity, especially in working-age people. The study aimed
to develop and finalise a second to fifth metacarpal fractures clinical hand rehabilitation
guideline. Methods: A three-round eDelphi method, employing REDCap questionnaires and
informed by a previous clinical hand rehabilitation guideline, facilitated expert consensus.
Experience and qualifications guided expert selection. Consensus was defined as 75% or …

In countries, such as South Africa, with limited resources and inequities in their healthcare
delivery services optimal hand rehabilitation is essential in their quest to enable individuals
sustaining second-to-fifth metacarpal fractures to return without delay to pre-injury
functioning and to work safely. Sub-optimal hand rehabilitation service delivery impacts the
already strained South African healthcare system, where individuals may return to hospitals
or clinics with associated complications leading to time off from work and thus negative …