Article Test

Background: Do have patients with a bi- or trimalleolar ankle joint injury in comparison with a healthy, sportingly active, equally aged subject group functional ressources? With advancing age, the number of bone fracture increases, especially of the ankle joint and in particular for elder women. The operative treatment is effective. The subsequent rehabilitation is satisfying as well. Nevertheless there is no functional comparison to sameaged healthy people so far.

Study Design: prospective controlled cross-sectional study

Methods: inclusion of 17 patients with bi- or trimalleolar ankle joint injury (mean: one and a half year post-surgery) und 23 healthy, sportingly active, equally old probands (fitness studio); measuring devices: motoric test procedures and questionnaire

Results: three observation areas (OA)

• OA I: no significant difference between the injured and intact ankle side within the patient group concerning the static balance and the strength endurance, measured at the functional press; only the strength endurance measured at the rope pull device shows a significant difference of the power
• OA II: comparison patients and probands

                - static balance: patients < probands (p >.05)

                - strength endurance: patients < probands (p <.002)

                - life quality – mental health: patients < probands (p >.05)

                - life quality – physical health: patients < probands (p=.039)

• OA III: patients are in the values of SF36` direct sum scores round about in the standards` range, probands even above

Conclusion: There are functional ressources between patients and probands. These differences should be positivly influenced by concerning enhancement of training or participation in sport courses with the aim of approaching respectivly achieving the patients` capability and life quality to them of probands.