title: Early mobilization of ankle fractures after open reduction and internal fixation.
abstract: The effect of early mobilization and unrestricted weight bearing on final ankle motion in 51 operatively stabilized ankle fractures was prospectively investigated. Patients were treated with an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) or a cast. Full weight bearing was unrestricted in both groups. Thirty-two fractures received an AFO and 19 received a cast. The follow-up period ranged from 2.3 to 66 months, with a median of eight months. At the final follow-up examination, the motion in the AFO-treated group was not functionally different from that of the cast-treated group. However, 72% of the patients treated in an AFO compared with 37% of patients treated in a cast had ankle dorsiflexion greater than 15 degrees (p = 0.014). No complications were directly related to the AFO. No loss of reduction occurred in any patient. The results of this series indicate that early motion of a fractured ankle treated operatively does not affect ankle motion. Early motion was not associated with increased morbidity or loss of reduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, School of Medicine, San Francisco.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cimino
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ichtertz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Slabaugh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016512:Ankle Injuries; D001915:Braces; D002370:Casts, Surgical; D004434:Early Ambulation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular