Return to work and functional results of French military personnel after ankle ligamentoplasty
Seance of wednesday 02 july 2025 (Séance commune avec le service santé des armées - SSA - Au Val de Grâce)
DOI number : 10.26299//2025.25.04
Abstract
Introduction: A direct consequence of sprains, chronic lateral ankle instability is particularly prevalent in the French military, leading to unfitness for employment. Surgical management of this chronic instability is associated with good functional results in the general population. No French study has looked at outcomes in this specific population. Our aim was to assess the time to return to work and the level of postoperative fitness after ankle ligamentoplasty in French military personnel.
Material and methods: This was a retrospective, multicenter study including French military personnel operated on for chronic lateral ankle instability between January 2015 and December 2021 at three army training hospitals. Criteria evaluated were return to work and its delay, sports resumption, functional results by FAOS, EQ-5D-5L and Ankle Activity score as well as recurrence rate at last recoil.
Results: Sixty-seven patients were included in the study, with a median follow-up of 49 months. Sixty-seven percent had regained their initial ability, 78% had regained operational ability and 63% had resumed regular physical activity. Fifteen patients (22%) had not regained operational fitness. The median time to recovery of initial skills was 5.97 months (IQR=3.57). The median post-operative FAOS score was 90 (IQR=21,25). Thirty-three percent of operated patients presented a new episode of instability.
Conclusion: Our study confirms the efficacy of surgery in this specific population, both in terms of return to work and functional results. Particular attention must be paid to post-operative rehabilitation and secondary prevention, given the high risk of recurrence.
Material and methods: This was a retrospective, multicenter study including French military personnel operated on for chronic lateral ankle instability between January 2015 and December 2021 at three army training hospitals. Criteria evaluated were return to work and its delay, sports resumption, functional results by FAOS, EQ-5D-5L and Ankle Activity score as well as recurrence rate at last recoil.
Results: Sixty-seven patients were included in the study, with a median follow-up of 49 months. Sixty-seven percent had regained their initial ability, 78% had regained operational ability and 63% had resumed regular physical activity. Fifteen patients (22%) had not regained operational fitness. The median time to recovery of initial skills was 5.97 months (IQR=3.57). The median post-operative FAOS score was 90 (IQR=21,25). Thirty-three percent of operated patients presented a new episode of instability.
Conclusion: Our study confirms the efficacy of surgery in this specific population, both in terms of return to work and functional results. Particular attention must be paid to post-operative rehabilitation and secondary prevention, given the high risk of recurrence.