Table 5.
Outcomes for Unstable Ankle Fractures After Nonoperative Treatment.
| Outcome | Unstable (N = 36) | Stable (N = 105) |
|---|---|---|
| Final ambulatory status | ||
| Independent community | 19 (52.8%) | 89 (84.8%) |
| Independent with assistive device | 12 (33.3%) | 11 (10.5%) |
| Wheelchair and self-transfers | 1 (2.8%) | 2 (1.9%) |
| Wheelchair-bound | 4 (11.1%) | 3 (2.9%) |
| Retained ambulatory status | 31 (86.1%) | 97 (92.3%) |
| Final living environment | ||
| Independent home | 27 (75.0%) | 92 (87.6%) |
| Assisted living | 4 (11.1%) | 8 (7.6%) |
| Long-term care facility | 5 (13.9%) | 5 (4.8%) |
| Retained living environment | 31 (86.1%) | 101 (96.2%) |
| No increased assistance personnel | 35 (97.2%) | 105 (100.0%) |
| Pain improvement | 32 (88.9%) | 99 (94.3%) |
| Falls | 6 (16.7%) | 8 (7.6%) |
| Skin complications | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) |
| Emergency department visits | 5 (13.9%) | 5 (4.8%) |
| Admissions/readmissions | 2 (5.6%) | 1 (1.0%) |
| Operations/reoperations | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (1.9%) |
| Death | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (1.9%) |
Bolded text indicates statistically significant difference between stable and unstable cohort at that follow‐up timepoint for that specific variable. Significance set at p ≤ 0.05