POSTOPERATIVE TREATMENT OF INTERNALLY FIXED ANKLE FRACTURES - A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED STUDY

In a prospective, randomised trial of 81 patients with fractures of th e ankle of AO types A, B and C we compared two regimes of postoperativ e management after internal fixation, The patients were mobilised eith er non-weight-bearing with crutches or weight-bearing in a below-knee walking plaster, We found a temporary benefit in subjective evaluation only (65 v 50 points, Mann-Whitney test, cft, p = 0.02) for those wit h a below-knee walking plaster, There were no significant differences between the groups in the loaded dorsal range of movement (25 degrees v 23 degrees, Mann-Whitney test, cft, p = 0.16) or in the overall clin ical result, Both treatments were considered to be satisfactory and th eir choice depends on the ability to mobilise non-weight-bearing, woun d healing, the type of work and personal preference.