The effect of early mobilization and unrestricted weight bearing on final ankle motion in 51 operatively stabilized ankle fractures was prospectively investigated. Patients were treated with an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) or a cast. Full weight bearing was unrestricted in both groups. Thirty-two fractures received an AFO and 19 received a cast. The follow-up period ranged from 2.3 to 66 months, with a median of eight months. At the final follow-up examination, the motion in the AFO-treated group was not functionally different from that of the cast-treated group. However, 72% of the patients treated in an AFO compared with 37% of patients treated in a cast had ankle dorsiflexion greater than 15 degrees (p = 0.014). No complications were directly related to the AFO. No loss of reduction occurred in any patient. The results of this series indicate that early motion of a fractured ankle treated operatively does not affect ankle motion. Early motion was not associated with increased morbidity or loss of reduction.
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