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Early functional outcome of two different orthotic concepts in ankle sprains: a randomized controlled trial

  • Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

Purpose of the study was the evaluation of the early functional outcome of patients with an acute ankle sprain treated either with a semirigid, variable, phase-adapted modular ankle orthosis or an invariable orthotic reference device.

Materials and methods

Forty-seven patients with acute ankle sprain grade II or more were included. In addition, 77 healthy controls as a reference were investigated. The injured subjects were treated with one of the two devices by random for 6 weeks. Ankle scores (FAOS, AOFAS) were taken at baseline after injury, 1 and 3 months after injury. Functional performance tests (balance platform, zig zag run, shuttle run, vertical drop jump) were performed at 1 and 3 months after injury.

Results

No significant score differences could be found between the two intervention groups except for achieving a preinjury activity level after 3 months only in the modular orthosis group. Postural functional performances (balance test) also showed no significant differences whereas the results of the agility tests revealed small but significant better results in the modular orthosis group in comparison to the invariable orthosis group. Cohen’s effect sizes were high.

Conclusion

Differences between the two intervention groups were marginal and very small but significant and—regarding Cohen´s effect sizes—effective. Especially relating to functional performance, this might be a careful indication that a more effective strategy for promoting a protected, rapid recovery to physical activity after ankle sprains might be achieved by applying a phase-adapted ankle orthosis. Especially in athletic patients, phase-adapted orthosis should be further investigated and considered to ensure fully protected ligament healing as well as to regain early functional recovery.

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Conflict of interest

The corresponding author as well as 4 coauthors are a member of a Clinical Excellence Research Circle (CEC) which—as an innovative and independent research circle—itself does not gain or lose financially of our study but which is financially sponsored by Otto Bock® HealthCare GmbH, Duderstadt, Germany. Furthermore, the corresponding author as well as 3 of the coauthors hold a patent for some particular principles of a phase adapted orthosis as well as some particular technical details (e.g. additional side splints) of the Malleo Tristep Orthosis®.

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Author notes

    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Orthopedic Sports Medicine, Medical Clinic, University of Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 6, 72076, Tubingen, Germany

      Raymond Best

    2. Department of Orthopedics and Biomechanics, German Sports University Cologne, Cologne, Germany

      Caroline Böhle, Thorsten Schiffer & Gert Peter Brueggemann

    3. Orthopedic Department, Martin-Luther Krankenhaus, Berlin, Germany

      Wolf Petersen

    4. Arcus Sportklinik, Pforzheim, Germany

      Andree Ellermann

    5. Orthopedic Department, Asklepios Klinik, Bad Harzburg, Germany

      Christian Liebau

    Authors
    1. Raymond Best
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    2. Caroline Böhle
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    3. Thorsten Schiffer
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    4. Wolf Petersen
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    5. Andree Ellermann
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    6. Gert Peter Brueggemann
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    7. Christian Liebau
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    Correspondence to Raymond Best.

    Additional information

    R. Best and C. Böhle contributed equally.

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    Best, R., Böhle, C., Schiffer, T. et al. Early functional outcome of two different orthotic concepts in ankle sprains: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 135, 993–1001 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-015-2230-x

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-015-2230-x

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