ArticleAsia-Pacific journal of sports medicine, arthroscopy, rehabilitation and technology2017
Shorter recovery can be achieved from using walking boot after operative treatment of an ankle fracture.
Article in Asia-Pacific journal of sports medicine, arthroscopy, rehabilitation and technology, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- Early weight-bearing following surgical fixation of ankle fractures without trans-syndesmotic fixation: safety and early functional outcomes - a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2026Pooled it
- Is early full weight bearing safe following locking plate ORIF of distal fibula fractures?BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2021Trial
- A Prospective Randomized Study Comparing Functional Outcome in Distal Fibula Fractures between Conventional AO Semitubular Plating and Minimal Invasive Intramedullary "Photodynamic Bone Stabilisation".Journal of clinical medicine · 2022Article
- Commonly Used Types and Recent Development of Ankle-Foot Orthosis: A Narrative Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Review
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectiveAnkle fractures, even if treated surgically, usually take a long time to heal. For all patients with ankle fracture, immobilisation is a critical part of treatment. Short-leg walking boots (WBs) have been reported to be an effective alternative to plaster casts (PCs) that could shorten this postoperative recuperative period. The aim of this study was to compare the functional recovery of a conventional PC with that of a WB after surgery for ankle fractures.
methodsForty-seven patients (mean age, 53.9 ± 12 years) who had undergone surgical operation for an unstable ankle fracture from January 2008 to October 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Either a PC or a WB was prescribed postoperatively, with 25 patients and 22 patients, respectively. The time that it took the patient to stand unipedal on the affected side after allowing full-weight bear and to walk without crutches were used for assessment of functional recovery. The prevalence of postoperative loss of reduction and nonunion was also reviewed.
resultsBoth the time of being able to stand unipedal on the injured side and to walk without crutches were significantly shorter in patients using WBs (WB, 2.6 weeks; PC, 4.5 weeks,
conclusionPatients who used WBs showed a significantly faster recovery. WBs have an adjustable heel lift that allows users to change the ankle position slightly plantarflexed that helps walking in a postoperative swollen ankle. WBs are easy to slip on, and it is easy to adjust the ankle position in conformity with swelling so that the least painful position could be maintained during walking. WBs have good fixity to allow immediate weight-bearing postoperatively, and there were no cases with loss of reduction postoperatively. The Rocker bottom design minimises the sagittal plane motion in the specific joint of the foot, which also facilitates the course of recuperation. An ankle fracture fixed appropriately endures loading when a WB is used. The WB treatment results in faster functional recovery, allowing the patients to return to normal activity at a faster rate.
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