How Knowledge Relates to Confidence in Orthopedics and Emergency Medicine Regarding Return to Sport and Rehabilitation in Foot and Ankle Trauma.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to survey the knowledge of registrars in emergency medicine and orthopedics on 5 common injuries to the foot and ankle and compare this knowledge, and self-reported confidence in giving it, with that of consultants and physiotherapists of various levels of experience.

DESIGN: An online survey was used to gather the information using scenario-based open and closed questions.

PARTICIPANTS: A total of 102 health care professionals, who regularly deal with sports injuries, were recruited. These included consultant orthopedic surgeons with a subspecialty interest in foot and ankle surgery, orthopedic surgeons in other specialties, extended scope physiotherapy practitioners (ESPs) in foot and ankle and general musculoskeletal practice, emergency medicine consultants, emergency medicine registrars, orthopedic registrars, senior physiotherapists, and junior physiotherapists.

SETTING: The participants were drawn from various health care institutions in the North East of England.

RESULTS: Consultant foot and ankle surgeons and extended scope practitioners in foot and ankle both scored significantly on knowledge of rehabilitation program design than either set of registrars. For 2 of the case scenarios, there was a significant difference in scores between either orthopedic consultants or ESPs and registrars (p < 0.05). For total score, there was a trend for extended scope practitioners to score higher than both sets of registrars, but this did not reach significance. Correlation coefficients for knowledge and self-reported confidence ranged between 0.009 and 0.33, demonstrating only weak positive linear correlation between scenario score and reported confidence in advice given.

CONCLUSIONS: The most significant area of gaps in knowledge among the 2 groups of registrars was in the specifics of rehabilitation programs. There was markedly higher confidence with greater seniority. Registrars in emergency medicine and orthopedics are likely to benefit from case-based teaching in sports injury rehabilitation.