Functional Comparison of Immediate and Late Weight Bearing after Ankle Bimalleolar Fracture Surgery

AIM : The aim of the study is to compare immediate weight bearing with below-knee cast or immobilization with plaster splint in 6 weeks in patients after operative treatment for ankle bimalleolar fractures. METHODS : Fifty-three patients with ankle bimalleolar fractures were treated operatively in 2005 to 2010 and then were randomly allocated to two groups. Immediately weight bearing in a below-knee cast (26 patients) and immobilization in a plaster splint for the first six postoperative weeks (27 patients). A mean age 37.9 (min 17; max 72). An average follow-up 26.1 months. (min 14; max 55). All fractures were classified with Lauge-Hansen classification. Functional results of both groups were evaluated with AOFAS for the postoperative one year after surgical treatment. RESULTS : According to the AOFAS scoring system, results were excellent and good in 17 patients in group 1. On the other hand, results were excellent and good in 14 patients in group 2. CONCLUSION : As a result we think that weight bearing protocol should be advantaged for patients with ankle bimalleolar fractures after surgical treatment immediately.