Early functional recovery following accelerated rehabilitation after arthroscopic anterior talofibular ligament repair.
Gengatharan D, Jing ZPQ, Bryan HKP, Yi MCW, Nee EGT, Joey L et al. · Foot (Edinburgh, Scotland) · 2026
Background: Postoperative rehabilitation following anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) repair commonly incorporates an initial period of protection with progressive weight-bearing and range of motion. Accelerated rehabilitation may facilitate earlier functional recovery, but clinical evidence remains limited.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on consecutive patients who underwent arthroscopic ATFL repair for chronic lateral ankle instability at a tertiary institution between January 2024 and June 2025. All patients followed a standardised accelerated rehabilitation protocol that included immediate weight-bearing and supervised range-of-motion exercises after surgery. Outcomes assessed included Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) scores, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), time to return to jogging, return to pre-injury level of sport and documented postoperative complications.
Results: Twenty patients were included, with a mean follow-up of 11.1 ± 3.5 months. Median FAAM Activities of Daily Living scores improved from 76.2 (Q1-Q3, 67.0-83.0) preoperatively to 99.2 (95.9-100.0) at 6 months, while median FAAM Sports scores improved from 43.5 (32.2-63.4) to 94.7 (82.8-100.0) (both p
Conclusion: Accelerated rehabilitation following isolated arthroscopic ATFL repair was associated with significant early functional improvement and return to pre-injury sporting level in all preoperatively active patients, with no repair failures or recurrent instability observed during short-term follow-up. Level of evidence IV.