A retrospective epidemiological study of 1,500 consecutive adult ankle fractures presenting to the Edinburgh Orthopaedic Trauma Unit over 3 years (1988–1990), applying the complete AO classification system to characterize fracture-type distribution, mechanism of injury, and age-specific incidence across the adult population.
When you see an ankle fracture in the ED, expect an isolated lateral malleolar injury (70% of cases) from a low-energy twist or fall — but recognize that an isolated medial malleolar fracture or any type C injury should prompt you to look for a high-energy mechanism you may not have been told about.
The rising incidence in elderly women means osteoporotic bone quality increasingly shapes your fixation decisions even in what looks like a routine bimalleolar pattern.
A retrospective epidemiological study of 1,500 consecutive adult ankle fractures presenting to the Edinburgh Orthopaedic Trauma Unit over 3 years (1988–1990), applying the complete AO classification system to characterize fracture-type distribution, mechanism of injury, and age-specific incidence across the adult population.
When you see an ankle fracture in the ED, expect an isolated lateral malleolar injury (70% of cases) from a low-energy twist or fall — but recognize that an isolated medial malleolar fracture or any type C injury should prompt you to look for a high-energy mechanism you may not have been told about.
The rising incidence in elderly women means osteoporotic bone quality increasingly shapes your fixation decisions even in what looks like a routine bimalleolar pattern.