ABSTRACT
Foot and ankle surgery can impose significant hardship on a patient when carrying out their essential activities of daily living including mobility, sourcing and preparing food, as well as maintaining personal hygiene. Pre-operative planning between the surgeon, patient and caregivers can circumvent most of the challenges imposed by the post-operative restrictions of foot and ankle surgery. Depending on the weight bearing status of the operated extremity, a wide array of durable medical equipment devices are available to provide mobility and safety for the patient. Various devices are also available to protect the patient and the operative site during bathing. Pre-operative gait training can be valuable in selecting the most appropriate mobility aid for the patient, assuring safe ambulation while keeping the operated extremity protected.
Subject(s)
Ankle/surgery , Exercise Therapy/methods , Foot/surgery , Orthopedic Procedures/rehabilitation , Postoperative Care/methods , Activities of Daily Living , Convalescence , Female , Humans , Male , Orthopedic Procedures/methods , Podiatry/methods , Recovery of Function , Weight-Bearing/physiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To present recommendations for athletic trainers and other allied health care professionals in the conservative management and prevention of ankle sprains in athletes. BACKGROUND: Because ankle sprains are a common and often disabling injury in athletes, athletic trainers and other sports health care professionals must be able to implement the most current and evidence-supported treatment strategies to ensure safe and rapid return to play. Equally important is initiating preventive measures to mitigate both first-time sprains and the chance of reinjury. Therefore, considerations for appropriate preventive measures (including taping and bracing), initial assessment, both short- and long-term management strategies, return-to-play guidelines, and recommendations for syndesmotic ankle sprains and chronic ankle instability are presented. RECOMMENDATIONS: The recommendations included in this position statement are intended to provide athletic trainers and other sports health care professionals with guidelines and criteria to deliver the best health care possible for the prevention and management of ankle sprains. An endorsement as to best practice is made whenever evidence supporting the recommendation is available.
