Early Motion & Directed Exercise vs Cast Immobilization After Surgically Fixed ankle fractures
Early Motion and Directed Exercise (EMADE) following ankle fracture fixation: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.
Bone Joint J. 2024 01-Sep;():. 10.1302/0301-620X.106B9.BJJ-2023-1433.R1One hundred fifty-seven patients with surgically fixed Weber B ankle fractures were randomized to receive either the Early Motion and Directed Exercise (EMADE) program (n=80) or traditional cast immobilization (n=77). The primary outcome was the Olerud-Molander Ankle Score (OMAS) at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included quality of life measures and additional functional scores evaluated up to 52 weeks. Overall, the study found that the EMADE program led to significantly higher OMAS at 12 weeks (p<0.001), which was clinically meaningful. These benefits persisted at 24 weeks but converged with the immobilization group by 52 weeks. The findings suggest that the EMADE program accelerates recovery compared to traditional immobilization and is safe.
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