Interest of rehabilitation in healing and preventing recurrence of ankle sprains

• Published in: Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicine Vol. 56; no. 7; pp. 503 - 514
• Main Authors: Guillodo, Y, Simon, T, Le Goff, A, Saraux, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Masson SAS 01-10-2013
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Ankle Injuries - prevention & control; Ankle Injuries - rehabilitation; Ankle sprain; Emergency; Entorse cheville; Female; Humans; Injury recurrence; Internal Medicine; Male; Middle Aged; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Rehabilitation; Récidive; Rééducation; Sprains and Strains - prevention & control; Sprains and Strains - rehabilitation; Traitement; Treatment; Urgences; Young Adult; Ankle sprain; Injury recurrence; Traitement; Treatment; Récidive; Rééducation; Rehabilitation; Emergency; Urgences; Entorse cheville
• ISSN: 1877-0657; 1877-0665
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rehab.2013.06.007

Abstract To assess the impact of rehabilitation on healing and recurrence rate of ankle sprain, 1 year apart, 111 patients, who suffered an ankle sprain (67 men and 44 women; 17 mild sprains, 67 medium and 27 severe), were included by emergency physicians of four emergency rooms (ER) of Finistère. The physician was free to prescribe, or not, further investigations. He prescribed systematically to patients RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) protocol, put an ankle brace, and gave a prescription of standardized rehabilitation. The prescription was the same for the four ER. All patients were recalled to 1 year. Of the 111 patients initially included, 21 patients were excluded for lack of response after three phone calls. In the end, 90 patients were assessable (56 men and 34 women), mean age 31.4 ± 12.6 years (range 15–55) at the time of initial trauma. Emergency physicians had diagnosed, initially, 16 mild sprains (17.8%), 56 medium sprains (62.2%) and 18 severe sprains (20%). Of the 90 patients, 73 patients have been rehabilitated (81.1%). Of the 44 accidents of everyday life, 31 were rehabilitated (70.5%). Of the 27 sports accidents, 25 were rehabilitated (92.6%). Of the 19 work-related injuries, 17 were rehabilitated (89.5%). There is no significant relationship between rehabilitation and no recurrence ( P = 0.45) nor between rehabilitation and full recovery of the ankle ( P = 0.59). Conclusion: We find no association between rehabilitation and prevention of recurrence, nor between rehabilitation and healing of patients. However, our study is limited by the small size of the non-rehabilitated group.