Early weight bearing after posterior malleolar fractures: an experimental and prospective clinical study.

The distribution of axial load to the lower end of the tibia at different positions of the ankle joint for the anterior, middle, and posterior part of the joint was studied in both photoelastic models and fractured ankle joints in cadaveric specimens. Synthetic models were used to simulate both normal ankle joints and ankles with fractures of the posterior lip of the tibia. Tests were performed with the ankle at dorsiflexed, neutral-flexed, and plantarflexed positions of the ankle joint.