A single-person reduction and splinting technique for ankle injuries.

Abstract

Ankle injuries are one of the most common orthopaedic conditions treated in the emergency department. Initial reduction and splinting techniques of these injuries are variable and can place undue stress on the physician and cause patient discomfort. Novice and experienced practitioners have had to repeat splint application because of poor preparation, variable assistant experience, loss of fracture reduction, and improper application. We present a modified Quigley technique for ankle reduction and splinting that simplifies these issues and reduces stress on the patient and physician. The technique was used on 51 patients without any major complications. This technique can be performed entirely by 1 practitioner, by keeping the patient and physician in a comfortable position and is applicable to a wide range of lower extremity trauma injuries.