-----Original Message-----
From: Dr Matthew W Cooke <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: 25 September 1998 00:38
Subject: Christmas Turkeys
>Helen's idea of tubigrip as top of the list for "Christmas turkey" gets my
>vote. Perhaps only beaten by DOUBLE tubigrip.
>
>I gave up using tubigrip about 18 months ago. I tell everyone it is better
>to move the ankle etc.. and have had nobody demand their tubigrip. Perhaps
>they just go down the road to the chemist.
I accept there may be no RCT evidence of improved final outcome from use of
Tubigrip but it certainly makes a sprained ankle more comfortable. From
personal experience of said injury, the supportive effect of DTG (double
tubigrip) is surprising and can enable limited mobility on an ankle which
otherwise would be too painful.
How long you keep it on for is more difficult. Is it just until the
swelling goes down or is it until the medical report is done a year after
you tripped?
I am much in favour of basing therapy on good evidence. One of the problems
of evaluating a treatment of this kind is a lack of practical and robust
outcome measures. Time to return to weight bearing, or return to work,
occur to me but they are so full of variation, depending on employment and
motivation. Patient satisfaction is highly biased in favour of a treatment
which the patient can feel and see and pull on and off.
My suspicion is that the eventual outcome for most sprained ankles is the
same with or without TBG (Tubigrip) but I bet the ones without will have
more pain and use more analgesics.
Elastoplast strapping and Robert Jones Bandages would get my vote and Soft
collars could be next in line but I am keeping my Christmas Tubigrip.
Jonathan Marrow
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