Often patients with ankle fractures that are stable, and thus do not require surgery, are given follow-up x-rays because their orthopedists are concerned about possibly having misjudged the stability of the fracture. When a number of follow-up x-rays were reviewed, however, all the fractures that had initially been judged stable were found to have healed correctly. Ttherefore, it is a waste of money to order follow-up x-rays of ankle fracture initially judged stable.
X-rays of patients of many different orthopedists working in several hospitals were reviewed, which most strengthens the argument.