Open AccessClinical outcomes following ankle fracture: a cross‐sectional observational study
Author(s) -
Segal Ganit,
Elbaz Avi,
Parsi Alon,
Heller Ziv,
Palmanovich Ezequiel,
Nyska Meir,
Feldbrin Zeev,
Kish Benjamin
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of foot and ankle research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.763
H-Index - 39
ISSN - 1757-1146
DOI - 10.1186/s13047-014-0050-9
Subject(s) - medicine , observational study , ankle , cross sectional study , rehabilitation , orthopedic surgery , physical therapy , fracture (geology) , physical medicine and rehabilitation , surgery , pathology , geotechnical engineering , engineering
Background The purpose of the current study was to examine objective and subjective differences between three severity groups of ankle fractures patients compared to healthy controls. Methods This was a case‐controlled study. 92 patients with an ankle fracture injury of which 41 patients were eligible to participate in the study. 72 healthy people served as controls. All patients underwent a computerized gait test, completed self‐assessment questionnaires (The Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) and the SF‐36), evaluated with the American Foot and Ankle Score (AOFAS) form and completed the 6‐min walk test. The control group performed a computerized gait test and completed the SF‐36 health survey. Results All ankle fracture patients presented compromised gait patterns and limb symmetry compared to controls ( p < 0.05). Ankle fracture patients also had lower SF‐36 scores compared to controls ( p < 0.05). Significant differences were found between the unimalleolar group compared to the bimalleolar and trimalleolar groups in most parameters, except for the FAOS scores. There were no significant differences between the bimalleolar fracture group and the trimalleolar fracture groups. Conclusions Although all fracture severity classification groups presented a compromised gait pattern and worse clinical symptoms compared to controls, it seems that patients with a unimalleolar fracture is a different group compared to bimalleolar and trimalleolar fracture. Furthermore, it seems that bimalleolar fracture and trimalleolar fracture affect the gait pattern and clinical symptoms to an equal extent, at least in the short‐term. Trial registration NCT01127776 .