Early Weight-Bearing Following Ankle fractures: Is the 1 Week Weight-Bearing Regimen Superior to the 4 Week Regimen?

Background: Early weight bearing can accelerate the recovery of ankle function, but the timing of weight bearing has not been clarified. In this study, the efficacy and safety of weight-bearing at 1 week and 4 weeks after ankle fracture were further investigated. Methods: Forty-six patients were enrolled and divided into a 1-week group (n=23) and a 4-week group (n=23). All patients underwent routine rehabilitation. On this basis, weight-bearing was started at 1 week after surgery in the 1-week group and at 4 weeks after surgery in the 4-week group. Both groups underwent a 6-week trial intervention. Ankle pain and function were assessed by VAS, AOFAS, and OMAS scales at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after treatment. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the general data of patients in the 2 groups before surgery (p > 0.05). At 2 weeks postoperatively, the VAS of the 1-week group was higher than that of the 4-week group, and the scores of the Pain item in AOFAS and Swelling item in OMAS were lower than that of the 4-week group. At 4 weeks postoperatively, the VAS was higher in the 1-week group than in the 4-week group. At 6 weeks postoperatively, the VAS was lower in the 1-week group than in the 4-week group, and the scores of the Pain, Maximum walking distance, and Sagittal motion items in the AOFAS, and the scores of the Stiffness and Swelling items in the OMAS were higher than in the 4-week group. Conclusions: A rehabilitation strategy of early weight-bearing implemented 1 week after surgery in patients with ankle fractures can effectively reduce the degree of ankle stiffness and accelerate the recovery of ankle function in patients.