Clinical evaluation of long-term results for different methods of rehabilitation (compulsory health insurance (GKV) vs. employer's social accident coverage (BG)), in patients with calcaneal fractures, concerning function and quality of life.

Project-Nr. FF-FR0180

Status:

ongoing 06/2011

Aims:

The aim of this study is a comparison of effectiveness in-between different methods of rehabilitation. This comparison is done for rehabilitation after intraarticular calcaneal fractures, by methods of compulsory health insurance (GKV) vs. those of employer's social accidident coverage (BG). In particular, quantitative methods of instrumental gait analysis (pedobarography, kinematics) will be applied in addition to commonly used scores.

Activities/Methods:

N = 128 patients with intraarticular calcaneal fractures and primary surgical treatment in the Trauma Center Murnau will be recruited. Thereby n = 64 are treated by methods of compulsory health insurance (GKV) and n = 64 by those of employer's social accident coverage (BG).
In the course of five examinations (5 days, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months post-operative) healing process will be evaluated by use of different scores (health questionnaires SF 36, EQ-5D and from American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS)), pedobarography, kinematics and clinical diagnostics. Further different parameters concerning healthcare economic strategies will be determined (duration of unemployability, reduction in earning capacity (MdE), the way of return-to-work.
In order to compare the two methods different parameters will be used: point values of the scores, parameters of pedobarography (maximum force and pressure, contact time and area), joint angles, parameters of CT and x-ray as well as of healthcare economic strategies.

Last update:

17/11/11