Streamlining Management And Rehabilitation with Technology for ankle fractures: The SMART-Ankle study

Chief Investigators: Panos Barlas, Esther Jacobson, Michael Schuetz, Victoria McCreanor, Jerry van de Pol, Richard Hanly, Venerina Johnston, Christopher Smith, Mark Cruickshank, Peter Slattery, Melanie Plinsinga, Silvia Manzanero, Nicole Andrews

Despite ankle fractures being one of the most common lower limb fractures, rehabilitation protocols for this common injury are varied and not standardised. One key element of the eventual outcome of the injury is the timing of weight bearing on the injured foot. However, weight bearing is difficult to quantify at the early stages of the injury and clinicians are keen to explore means by which weight bearing can be monitored and guide the rehabilitation protocol.

With this clinical problem in mind the Jamieson Trauma Institute in collaboration with clinicians from Orthopaedics, Physiotherapy and Prosthetics and Orthotics departments at RBWH is leading the way in researching solutions to monitoring weight bearing in patients who have had an operation to repair an ankle fracture via the use of intelligent technology in the shape of sensors embedded in the stabilising cast and eventually the shoe of the patient.

The research involves several stages including review and assessment of available technology and rehabilitation protocols, validation of technology for use in this context, feasibility of use by patients during their rehabilitation, and a clinical trial to determine which weight-bearing strategies result in the best recovery for patients.

It is envisaged that results from this effort will allow better understanding of weight bearing characteristics throughout the course of healing of ankle fractures, and subsequently, better rehabilitation protocols which can be delivered even remotely with the help of the technological solutions tested.