Epidemiological study of calcaneal fractures

Abstract

Objective: To analyze epidemiological characteristics of patients with calcaneal fractures. Methods: We included 181 medical records of patients diagnosed with calcaneal fracture from September 2008 to December 2015. Parameters analyzed were associated with patient’s characteristics, trauma mechanism, if open or closed fracture, period of the day, seasonality, preoperative radiographic evaluation, Essex-Lopresti and Sanders classification, type of treatment and technique used. Results: Of patients included, 84% were white, 58.1% did not attend high school. Incidence of calcaneal fractures was 89.5% in men mean aged 43 years. There was no statistical significance concerning laterality, 8.8% of fractures were bilateral, and 74.6% of them occurred in the afternoon. The most frequent mechanism of injury was fall from a height (90.1%). According to Sanders classification type 3 ac fractures occurred in 41.6% of patients. Conclusion: Calcaneal fractures affect more often men working for construction companies, who are at productive period of life, and did not attend high school. Most frequent trauma mechanism was fall from a height.