BACKGROUND Acute ankle injuries are one of the most common reasons for presenting to emergency departments, but only a small percentage of patients--approximately 15%--have clinically significant fractures. However, these patients are almost always referred for radiography. The Ottawa Ankle Rules (OARs) have been designed to reduce the number of unnecessary radiographs ordered for these patient...

Acute ankle injury, a common musculoskeletal injury, can cause ankle sprains. Some evidence suggests that previous injuries or limited joint flexibility may contribute to ankle sprains. The initial assessment of an acute ankle injury should include questions about the timing and mechanism of the injury. The Ottawa Ankle and Foot Rules provide clinical guidelines for excluding a fracture in adul...

OBJECTIVES Foot and ankle injuries that result in sprains or fractures are commonly encountered at the emergency department. The purpose of the present study is to find out the accuracy of ultrasound (US) scanning in injuries in the aforementioned areas. METHODS Ottawa Ankle Rules-positive patients older than 16 years who presented to the emergency department with foot or ankle injuries were ...

Background: Ankle injuries are one of the most common complaints of patients presenting to emergency departments (ED). The Ottawa ankle rules (OAR) was introduced to help physicians to decide who may require x-ray for blunt injuries. The present study aimed at validating the four steps weight-bearing rule of OAR as a sole criterion. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted on...

To summarize the best available evidence in the last decade for managing ankle sprains in the community, data were collected using MEDLINE database from January 2000 to December 2009. Terms utilized: 'ankle injury primary care' (102 articles were found), 'ankle sprain primary care' (34 articles), 'ankle guidelines primary care' (25 articles), 'ankle pathways primary care' (2 articles), 'ankle s...