
Physical Therapy & Rehab
AAOS2018: Early weightbearing facilitates early function recovery after modified Lapidus arthrodesis
130 patients with hallux valgus with or without associated first ray insufficiency scheduled for a modified Lapidus procedure were included in this trial to evaluate the effects of early postoperative weight-bearing on outcomes over the first 12 months following surgery. Patients included in the trial were randomized to an early weight-bearing group or to a control group which received the standard of care. Patients in the early weight-bearing group started progressive weight-bearing 2 weeks while the standard of care group was kept non-weight-bearing until 6 weeks. Patients were followed up at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Outcomes assessed were first tarsometatarsal joint fusion, the Short Form 36-Item General Health Survey (SF-36), the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, the Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment (SMFA), a visual analog scale, and the Foot Function Index (FFI). The results indicated that early weight-bearing was associated with increased self-reported function after 6 weeks when compared to standard of care (weight-bearing at 6 weeks), without an apparent significant increase in postoperative complications.
Unlock the full article
Get unlimited access to OrthoEvidence with a free trial
Start TrialCritical appraisals of the latest, high-impact randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews in orthopaedics
Access to OrthoEvidence podcast content, including collaborations with the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, interviews with internationally recognized surgeons, and roundtable discussions on orthopaedic news and topics
Subscription to The Pulse, a twice-weekly evidence-based newsletter designed to help you make better clinical decisions
Exclusive access to original content articles, including in-house systematic reviews, and articles on health research methods and hot orthopaedic topics
Or continue reading this full article
Register Now

Subscribe to "The Pulse"
Evidence-Based Orthopaedics direct to your inbox.