Epidemiology of adult ankle fractures in Sweden between 1987 and 2004

Figures & data

Table 1. Descriptive data on 91,410 ankle fractures in Sweden during the period 1987–2004

	Women		Men
Number, n (%)	51,700	57%	39,710	43%
Closed fracture (%)	50,066	97%	38,391	97%
Open fracture (%)	1,634	3%	1,319	3%
Age at hospital admission, n (%)
15–30	4,384	8%	9,854	25%
30–39	4,557	9%	6,371	16%
40–49	7,472	14%	6,891	17%
50–59	10,115	20%	6,638	17%
60–69	9,646	19%	4,608	12%
70–79	8,710	17%	3,455	9%
≥ 80	6,816	13%	1,893	5%
Mean age (SD)	58	(19)	45	(19)
Closed fracture	58	(19)	45	(19)
Open fracture	59	(18)	47	(19)
Type of fracture, n (%)
Medial malleolar	3,299	6%	4,821	12%
Lateral malleolar	18,917	37%	19,572	49%
Bi-/tri-malleolar	29,484	57%	15,317	39%

Figure 1. Incidence rates (per 10⁵ person-years with 95% CI) of ankle fractures in Sweden during the period 1987–2004, stratified by sex and year.

Figure 2. Incidence rates (per 10⁵ person-years with 95% CI) of ankle fractures in Sweden during the period 1987–2004, stratified by age and sex.

Figure 3. Incidence rates (per 10⁵ person-years) of ankle fractures in Sweden during the period 1987–2004, stratified by age, sex, and type of fracture. Note the different scale for open fractures.

Table 2. Mechanisms of injury

	Women	(%)	Men	(%)	Closed fractures	(%)	Open fractures	(%)	Total	(%)
Fall at same level	35,829	69	22,372	56	56,834	64	1,367	46	58,201	64
Fall from height	5,089	10	3,676	9	8,383	10	382	13	8,765	10
Fall unspecified	2,778	6	1,985	5	4,665	5	98	3	4,763	5
Transport accident	3,564	7	4,604	12	7,591	9	577	20	8,168	9
Miscellaneous	2,692	5	5,828	15	8,111	9	409	14	8,520	9
Not reported	1,748	3	1,245	3	2,873	3	120	4	2,993	3

Table 3. Surgical procedures (within 30 days of first admission)

	Women	(%)	Men	(%)	Closed fractures	(%)	Open fractures	(%)	Total	(%)
Open reduction/int. osteosynthesis	38,820	75	30,990	78	67,560	76	2,250	76	69,810	76
Closed reduction/ext. support	2,852	5	2,110	5	4,846	6	116	4	4,962	5
External fixation (Hoffman)	116	< 1	111	< 1	174	< 1	53	2	227	< 1
Miscellaneous	284	< 1	217	< 1	472	< 1	29	1	501	< 1
Not reported	9,628	19	6,282	16	15,405	17	505	17	15,910	17