• Christopher P Bretherton, Tejas Kotwal, Harbinder Sandhu, Janis Baird, and Xavier L Griffin.
• Bone and Joint Health, Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University London, 4 Newark Street, London, E1 2AT, United Kingdom; Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, E1 1BB, United Kingdom. Electronic address: C.Bretherton@qmul.ac.uk.
• Injury. 2024 Oct 1; 55 (10): 111763111763.

ObjectiveThis study investigates patients' experiences of commencing weight-bearing after ankle fracture surgery and their recovery priorities to inform a new rehabilitation intervention.MethodsEmbedded within the Weight bearing in Ankle Fractures (WAX) trial, this qualitative study conducted semi-structured interviews with patients following ankle fracture surgery. The Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) framework guided the interview questions to ensure comprehensive domain coverage. A purposive, maximum variation sampling strategy was used for participant selection. Data analysis employed a combined deductive and inductive approach.ResultsA total of 29 patients were interviewed, revealing five key themes: understanding the recovery journey, navigating the healthcare system, understanding personal physical capabilities, building confidence for weight-bearing, and resuming daily activities. Themes emphasised the variability in healthcare access, the impact of non-weight-bearing on independence, and the role of self-efficacy in recovery.ConclusionsThe study highlighted the diversity in patient experiences and recovery challenges post-ankle fracture surgery. Patients' recovery was influenced by access to consistent healthcare advice, self-efficacy, and the physical and psychological impact of non-weight-bearing. The findings suggest a need for tailored, patient-centred rehabilitation interventions that consider individual recovery trajectories and promote self-management. These insights provide a foundational understanding for developing interventions that more effectively address patient priorities and barriers to recovery.Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

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