Outcome	Study ID	Measurement tool and time point	Surgical; n	Conservative; n	Effect estimatea
Function in the long term	Agren 2013	Composite VAS score for pain and function (0 to 100; higher scores indicate better outcome); participant‐measured scores At 12 months	Mean (SD): 56.9 (± 26.4); 39	Mean (SD): 54.8 (± 23.7); 37	MD 2.10, 95% CI −9.17 to 13.37 Favours surgical treatment Analysis 2.1
Function in the long term	Agren 2013	OMAS score (0 to 100; higher scores indicate better outcome) At 12 months	Mean (SD): 62.2 (± 24.2); 39	Mean (SD): 60.9 (± 22.8); 37	MD 1.30, 95% CI −9.27 to 11.87 Favours surgical treatment Analysis 2.1
Function in the long term	Griffin 2014	Kerr‐Atkins score (0 to 100; higher scores indicate better outcome) At 24 months	Mean (SD): 69.8 (± 21.8); 69	Mean (SD): 65.7 (± 23.7); 74	MD 4.10, 95% CI −3.36 to 11.56 Favours surgical treatment Analysis 2.1
Function in the long term	Kamath 2021	MRS (0 to 100; higher scores indicate better outcome) At 1 year	Mean (SD): 74.783 (± 11.229); 30	Mean (SD): 57.368 (± 7.335); 31	MD 17.41, 95% CI 12.64 to 22.19; 61 fractures (6 bilateral) Favours surgical treatment Analysis 2.1
Function in the long term	Kamath 2021	VASb (lower scores indicate better outcome; inverted in analysis) At 1 year	Mean (SD): 3.348 (± 1.369); 30	Mean (SD): 4.944 (± 0.802); 31	MD 1.60, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.16; 61 fractures (6 bilateral) Favours surgical treatment Analysis 2.1
Function in the long term	Pandey 2018	VAS: combined pain and function measure (0 to 100; higher scores indicate better outcome) At 6 months	Mean (SD): 56.73 (± 6.61); 22	Mean (SD): 54 (± 5.19); 20	MD 2.73, 95% CI −0.85 to 6.31 Favours surgical treatment Analysis 2.1
Chronic pain	Agren 2013	VAS during weight‐bearing At 1 year	Mean (SD): 2.3 (± 2.1); 39	Mean (SD): 2.6 (± 1.6); 37	MD −0.30, 95% CI −1.14 to 0.54 Favours surgical treatment Analysis 2.2
HRQoL	Agren 2013	SF‐36 mental health score At 1 year	Mean (SD): 52.5 (± 23.3); 39	Mean (SD): 50.5 (± 21.9); 37	MD 2.00, 95% CI −8.16 to 12.16 Favours surgical treatment Analysis 2.3
HRQoL	Griffin 2014	EQ‐5D At 2 years	Mean (SD): 0.72 (± 0.22); 59	Mean (SD): 0.66 (± 0.27); 62	MD 0.06, 95% CI −0.03 to 0.15 Favour surgical treatment Analysis 2.3
HRQoL	Griffin 2014	SF‐36 mental health score At 2 years	Mean (SD): 53.4 (± 11.4); 54	Mean (SD): 53.6 (± 12.3); 62	MD −0.20, 95% CI −4.51 to 4.11 Favours non‐surgical treatment Analysis 2.3
Return to work	Parmar 1993	Return to same work At 1 year	Events: 19; 25	Events: 21; 31	RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.56 Favours surgical treatment Analysis 2.4
Return to work	Thordarson 1996	Return to same work Within 2 years	Events: 12; 15	Events: 4; 11	RR 2.20, 95% CI 0.97 to 5.00 Favours surgical treatment Analysis 2.4
Return to leisure activity	Parmar 1993	Return to previous recreation level At 1 year	Events: 16; 25	Events: 23; 31	RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.60 to 1.24 Favours non‐surgical treatment Analysis 2.4
Return to leisure activity	Thordarson 1996	No limitations on daily or recreational activities Within 2 years	Events: 13; 15	Events: 5; 11	RR 1.91, 95% CI 0.97 to 3.75 Favours surgical treatment Analysis 2.4