Exploring influences and risk of bias of studies on return to sport and work after lateral ankle sprain: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Table 7 Outcomes return to work

Ref.	Intervention + patients (n)	Rate of RTW, n (%)	Time to RTW in mean d (± SD)	P value
Avci et al[25], 1998	Soft cast tape (31)	NR	2.5 (NR)	P < 0.001
	Scotch plus tape (26)	NR	6.3 (NR)
Cooke et al[13], 2009	Below knee cast (142)	NR	7.7 (NR)	NR
	Aircast (149)	NR	9.6 (NR)
	Bledsoe brace (149)	NR	6.9 (NR)
	Tubular bandage (144)	NR	7.7 (NR)
Eiff et al[35], 1994	Early mobilization (40)	10 d = 22: (54); 3 wk = 30 (75); 6 wk = 36 (97); 3 month = 40 (100); 6 month = 40 (100)	4.3 (NR)	10 d, P < 0.001
	Immobilized (37)	10 d = 4 (13); 3 wk = 29 (79); 6 wk = 36 (96); 3 month = 37 (100); 6 month = 37 (100)	4.7 (NR)
Leanderson et al[38], 1995	Air-Stirrup ankle brace (39)	NR	5.3 (range: 0-26)	P < 0.05
	Compression bandage (34)	NR	9.1 (range: 0-21)
Lee et al[42], 2020	Isolated ankle stabilization with fibular periosteum augment (99)	88 (88.9)	NR	NS
	Isolated ankle stabilization without fibular periosteum augment (26)	18 (69.2)	NR
Melton et al[33], 2018	Modified Broström (127)	93 (73.2)	NR	NA
O’Connor et al[29], 2020	Tubigrip (18)	NR	5.2 (± 4.9)	NS
	Elastoplast (20)	NR	3.7 (± 3.5)
	No Support (16)	NR	5.8 (± 4.7)
Slatyer et al[24], 1997	Piroxicam (184)	173	2.74 (NR)	P < 0.001
	Placebo (180)	167	8.57 (NR)
Wang et al[34], 2023	Arthroscopic Broström (30)	NR	6.8 (± 2.1)	P = 0.006
	Open Broström (31)	NR	8.1 (± 2.4)

NA: Not available; NR: Not reported; NS: Not significant; RTW: Return to work; SD: Standard deviation.