Can a video call replace a hospital trip for ankle rehab?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Eligibility Criteria: Adults who have undergone ankle fracture surgery Inclusion Criteria: * Adults of either sex, aged 18 years and older, with no upper limit. * Within the last 21 days, they underwent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for an ankle fracture; AO44, AO43B and AO43C classifications and subclassifications. * Any orthopaedic weightbearing instructions, ranging from non-weightbearing to unrestricted weightbearing. Exclusion Criteria: * Unable or unwilling to give informed written consent for any reason. * Unable or unwilling to engage with the early ankle rehabilitation programme. * Severe open fractures (Gustilo Anderson G3) * A clinical decision was made that the ankle should remain cast immobilised until the subsequent orthopaedic review, which is beyond 21 days post-surgery. * If, in the opinion of the clinical and research staff, it is in the patient's best interest to be excluded due to presentations such as, but not limited to: * Soft tissue concerns where early movement may risk tissue breakdown. * Comorbidities associated with slowed tissue healing, such as non-healing leg/foot ulcers, medicating diabetics and a lack of protective distal sensation (e.g. peripheral neuropathy). * There is a plausible concern that the individual has been or will be non-compliant with the most recent treatment advice, for example, weightbearing contrary to orthopaedic advice. * Inability to adhere to study procedures, including, but not limited to, the following: * Lacking the capacity to adhere to the study intervention (minor assistance from family and friends is permissible). * Unable to converse fluently in English for the interviews or lack the capacity or ability to complete the study questionnaire in English. * Does not have access to and/or rudimentary capacity to use virtual clinic technology (assistance from family and friends is permissible). * Currently taking part or having taken part in a research study in the last 3 months that involves/involved invasive procedures. Where the circumstances of a potential participant are ambiguous, clarification with the CI or PI should be sought.