OTA 2006 Posters

Scientific Poster #37 Foot and Ankle

Return to Sports after Operatively Treated Ankle Fractures
Alexis S. Chiang1 (n); Michael Walsh, PhD1 (n); Kenneth J. Koval, MD2 (n);
Toni McLaurin, MD1 (n); Nirmal Tejwani, MD1 (n); Kenneth A. Egol, MD1 (n);
1NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, New York, New York, USA;
2Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine an athletic population and determine what factors are associated with a return to preinjury athletic performance following surgically treated ankle fractures.

Methods: Over a 4-year period, 434 patients underwent surgical repair of an unstable ankle fracture. 194 of these patients preoperatively identified themselves as participating in sports for the cohort of this study. All patients were treated and followed in a similar manner. Variables including age, gender, OTA type of fractures, ASA score, and smoking were examined to determine if there was a relationship with return to baseline sports at 3, 6, and 12 months.

Results: At 3 months, only 3% of all patients had returned to full sports. At 6 months postoperatively, 14% of patients had returned to full sports, while at 1 year, only 24% of patients returned to full sporting activity. Younger age was predictive of return to sports by 3 months (P = 0.04; odds ratio = 0.82, P = 0.017), 6 months (P = 0.026; odds ratio = 0.96, P = 0.078), and 12 months (P = 0.0001; odds ratio = 0.95, P = 0.012). Males were more likely to return to sports at 6 months (P = 0.04; odds ratio = 0.82, P = 0.017) and 12 months (P = 0.026). At 12 months, unimalleolar injuries were more likely to return to sports than bimalleolar ankle fractures (P = 0.018; odds ratio=0.7, P = 0.012). A patient with an ASA of one or two was greater than ten times more likely to return to sports versus a patient with an ASA of three or four (odds ratio>10, P = 0.010).

Conclusion/Significance: For all time points, younger age was a predictive factor in patients' ability to return to baseline athletic activity. At 6 and 12 months, males were more likely than females to return to sports. Healthier patients with less significant injuries also returned to athletics more readily. This information is useful for physicians to be able to counsel their patients appropriately.

If noted, the author indicates something of value received. The codes are identified as a-research or institutional support; b-miscellaneous funding; c-royalties; d-stock options; e-consultant or employee; n-no conflicts disclosed, and *disclosure not available at time of printing.
· The FDA has not cleared this drug and/or medical device for the use described in this presentation (i.e., the drug or medical device is being discussed for an "off label" use). · · FDA information not available at time of printing.