Effects of a multimodal technology-assisted rehabilitation program in a patient undergoing total ankle and total talus replacement: A paradigmatic case report.
Andrea Parente, Nicola Marotta, Andrea Demeco et al.
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Case in brief
A 59-year-old man with a prior ankle fracture-dislocation developed persistent pain, progressive talar avascular necrosis, and advanced ankle osteoarthritis, and underwent total ankle and total talus replacement. He then completed multimodal rehabilitation combining joint mobility work, progressive strengthening, proprioceptive training, antigravity-treadmill gait retraining, and visual-feedback gait optimization. Over five months, balance, gait, functional independence, quality of life, and passive ankle range of motion improved. Berg Balance Scale scores rose from 30 to 56, while Tinetti scores increased from 9 to 29; the report attributed these changes to the rehabilitation period, without establishing causation.
What made this case unusual
The case describes technology-assisted multimodal rehabilitation after the combined procedure of total ankle and total talus replacement, with serial assessment of balance, stabilometry, gait, and function.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
After total ankle and total talus replacement, rehabilitation can combine progressive mobility and strengthening with proprioceptive and gait technologies; serial functional and gait measures can document recovery in an individual patient.