Functional evaluation of the Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the function of the ankle joint during walking before and after Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement (STAR). Nine patients (six males and three females) with an average age of 65 years, scheduled for unilateral total ankle replacement for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, were evaluated both preoperatively and postoperatively in a gait analysis laboratory. Arthroplasty patients showed reduced range of motion at the ankle compared to normal controls. Postoperative arthroplasty subjects had significantly improved external ankle dorsiflexion moment, the moment that affects the plantarflexor muscles, when compared to their preoperative status. The moment in arthroplasty patients was increased, indicating improved function of the ankle joint.