Meet Margaret: a 75-year-old woman who – after spending the morning in her garden – misjudged a step on her porch and sustained a lateral malleolus fracture. 

Within 24 hours, she was in the hospital, undergoing ORIF surgery. After discharge, Margaret spent 2 weeks in a posterior plaster splint, then 3 weeks in a short leg cast.

5 weeks after the fall, the cast was removed, and she started her functional recovery in a “fixed joint” TayCo Brace thanks to her discerning physician. This allowed her to wear her own comfortable footwear and she stayed out of a wheelchair because of the lightweight construction of the TayCo Brace. She could even be seen at the grocery store while using a walker for additional support. 

10 weeks after surgery, she was encouraged to start muscle rehab of the joint and eliminate stiffness; the TayCo Brace was converted from the Fixed Position to the Range of Motion (ROM) position, allowing for movement of the joint. The hinge conversion abilities of the TayCo Brace helped Margaret to continue functional recovery by walking with the support of the brace and stop the muscle atrophy.

She was also able to go back to one of her favorite activities and tended to those weeds that started invading her garden. She remained fully independent in the ROM TayCo Brace for another 4 weeks; then was able to return to her normal active daily lifestyle as before the accident without any aides.

During recovery, Margaret “got her life back while remaining full independent, both physically and emotionally,” wearing TayCo Brace. Her words, not ours.

Margaret's experience highlights the importance of effective post-injury care and the role that innovative solutions like the TayCo Brace can play in facilitating a smooth and successful recovery. Physicians treating lateral malleolar fractures should consider this functional walking boot alternative to give patients the best possible recovery and get them back to ADLs.