Immediate weight bearing without immobilization for operatively treated ankle fractures is safe-A systematic review

Background: This systematic literature review compared weight bearing (WB) vs. partial- / non-weight bearing (NWB) and mobilization (MB) vs. immobilization (IMB) for surgically treated ankle fractures. Methods: Five databases were searched. Eligible were (quasi-)randomized controlled trials comparing at least two different postoperative treatment protocols. The risk of bias was assessed using the RoB-2 toolkit. The primary outcome was complication rate, secondary outcome Olerud and Molander Ankle Score (OMAS), range of motion (ROM), and return to work (RTW). Results: Out of 10,345 studies, 24 papers were eligible. Thirteen studies (n = 853) compared WB/NWB, 13 studies (n = 706) MB/IMB with a moderate study quality. WB did not increase the risk for complications but resulted in superior short-term outcomes for OMAS, ROM, RTW. 12 studies found no inferior results for MB compared to IMB. Conclusion: Early and immediate WB and MB do not increase the complication rates but result in superior short term outcome scores. Level of evidence: Level I Systematic Review (c) 2023 European Foot and Ankle Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.