ReviewCureus2025
Early Versus Delayed Weight-Bearing Following Tibial Plateau Fracture Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Review in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- [Osteosynthesis for tibial plateau fractures in geriatric patients].Unfallchirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2026Review
- Immediate Unrestricted Assisted Full Weight-Bearing After Bicondylar Tibial Plateau Fixation: A Case Series.Cureus · 2026Article
- Anterior auxiliary limited open incision for Schatzker IV total medial plateau fractures with posterolateral collapse: a retrospective study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2026Article
- Postoperative mobility is associated with risk of reoperation and increased mortality after hip fracture: a nationwide cohort study of 33,486 patients.Acta orthopaedica · 2026Article
- Long-term outcomes of dual locking-plate fixation for bicondylar tibial plateau fractures via two mini-incisions: A prospective study.Orthopedic reviews · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Tibial plateau fractures are complex injuries affecting the knee's load-bearing surface and often require surgical fixation. Traditional rehabilitation protocols favor delayed weight-bearing (DWB) to minimize complications, while emerging evidence suggests early weight-bearing (EWB) may improve functional recovery without increasing risk. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated outcomes of EWB versus DWB following surgical treatment of tibial plateau fractures. A comprehensive search identified 10 studies including 940 adult patients. Data on postoperative pain, time to union, delayed union, non-union, and functional outcomes were extracted, and meta-analyses were performed using RevMan 5.4; methodological quality was assessed using the Downs and Black checklist. Early weight-bearing was not associated with increased pain, delayed union, or non-union. Meta-analysis showed no significant differences in Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores (SMD = 0.06; p = 0.89), time to union (SMD = -0.45; p = 0.32), delayed union (OR = 0.40; p = 0.25), or non-union (OR = 0.14; p = 0.10). Studies reported earlier functional recovery, improved range of motion, and similar complication rates in EWB groups. Overall, early weight-bearing after tibial plateau fracture fixation appears safe and may accelerate functional recovery, though heterogeneity in fracture types and rehabilitation protocols underscores the need for individualized strategies and further high-quality research.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.