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- Talk
- 21/09/2023
- UK
Use of Cast Immobilization Versus Removable Brace in Adults with an Ankle Fracture
Description
In this presentation, Sarah Johnson-Lynn discusses the results of the AIR (Ankle Injury Rehabilitation) study, focusing on the two-year outcomes published in 2023. The study, initially reported in 2021, is a pragmatic multicenter randomized controlled trial that compared the effectiveness of plaster casts against removable ankle braces in treating operatively and non-operatively managed ankle fractures. Johnson-Lynn engages the audience by inquiring about their treatment practices, confirming that both methods of stabilization are acceptable based on the study's findings, which report no significant differences in functional outcomes or complications between the two groups.
The study aimed to address previous suggestions of advantages offered by removable braces, particularly in increasing range of motion and hastening recovery. However, the results indicated a lack of differences at 16 weeks and again at the two-year mark, despite high dropout rates in follow-up. Enduring issues were identified in patients, particularly those over 50 or those requiring surgical intervention, emphasizing that many do not return to their pre-injury functional level after an ankle fracture.
The speaker highlights the importance of the findings for clinical practice, validating that current treatment approaches are safe and defensible while also underlining the necessity for effective expectation management when discussing recovery outcomes with patients.