Outcome of patients with tibial and fibular shaft fractures: seasonal characteristcs

The different trauma mechanism and energy in winter and summer might influence the lower leg injury types and outcome. The aim of the study is to evaluate the outcome of patients with surgically treated tibial and fibula shaft fractures, focused on the seasonal characteristics. Retrospective study of 85 patients with tibial and fibular shaft fractures, admitted in the Hospital of Traumatology and Orthopaedics from December to February and from June to August 2013 till 2017 was conducted. Trauma mechanisms, preoperative, postoperative, follow-up radiographs and Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) were analyzed. There were 74 patients with tibial and fibular shaft  (37 A1; 11 A2; 11A3 type, 5 B1; 2 B2; 2 B3 type, 4 C1; 1 C2; 1 C3 type) fractures. The winter season trauma had 52 patients, the summer season trauma ‒ 33 patients. Outcome was evaluated in 23 patients 23 ‒ 59 months after trauma (8 females, 15 males, mean age 44 years, 13 winter injuries and 10 summer injuries). Our findings suggest that functional outcome in patients with tibial and fibular shaft fractures, who underwent intramedullary nailing, did not differ significantly. For all patients the most difficult were activities which demand dorsiflexion in the ankle joint – running on uneven ground, hopping and squatting.