Heel fracture surgery showdown: does fusing the joint early lead to better recovery?
NCT ID NCT06249126
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 09, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study compares two surgeries for severe heel fractures: standard repair with plates and screws versus standard repair plus a subtalar joint fusion. The goal is to see which approach leads to better pain relief, function, and return to work. About 218 adults with severe heel fractures will be randomly assigned to one of the two procedures and followed for a year.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Surgery (joint fusion or standard repair with plates and screws)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that adding a joint fusion during initial heel fracture repair leads to better long-term function and less pain, helping patients return to work sooner.
- What could go wrong
- This is a relatively small, early-stage trial. Surgery always carries risks like infection or hardware problems, and the fusion may limit ankle motion. Results may not apply to all fracture types.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Atrium Health Cabarrus
RECRUITINGConcord, North Carolina, 28025, United States
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Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center
RECRUITINGCharlotte, North Carolina, 28203, United States
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Atrium Health Navicent
RECRUITINGMacon, Georgia, 31201, United States
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Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGWinston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157, United States
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Emory University, Grady Memorial Research Hospital
RECRUITINGAtlanta, Georgia, 30303, United States
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Jamaica Hospital Medical Center
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGJamaica, New York, 11418, United States
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Louisiana State University - University Medical Center New Orleans
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGNew Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States
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NYC Health and Hospital/Bellevue
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGNew York, New York, 10016, United States
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OrthoCarolina Foot and Ankle Institute
RECRUITINGCharlotte, North Carolina, 28204, United States
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Prisma Health
RECRUITINGGreenville, South Carolina, 29605, United States
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The University of Chicago
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGChicago, Illinois, 60637, United States
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The University of Texas Medical Branch
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGGalveston, Texas, 77555, United States
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University of California, Irvine
RECRUITINGOrange, California, 92868, United States
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University of Kentucky
RECRUITINGLexington, Kentucky, 40536, United States
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University of Maryland Medical Center
RECRUITINGBaltimore, Maryland, 21201, United States
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University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
RECRUITINGChapel Hill, North Carolina, 27546, United States
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Vanderbilt University Medical Center
RECRUITINGNashville, Tennessee, 37232, United States
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