CONSERVATIVE THERAPY FOR FRACTURE OF THE OS CALCIS

The real advance which we have made in our conservative treatment of fracture of the os calcis is in the after-care. We believe our reduction and molding method is quite simple, safe, efficient, non-destructive, and easily mastered. Our routine after-care maintains the initial reduction and molding and prevents the formation of excess callus (especially in the submalleolar region), with its painful and crippling sequelae. It provides the specially placed, constant, snug pressure which we have found essential for a good end result. Finally, we hope that by our work we have demonstrated that routine initial destructive operative procedure should not be adopted in treating fractures of the os calcis. This and other special operations should be reserved for selected cases,—those cases in which the conservative treatment alone is not effective.