Open treatment of acute calcaneal fractures.

Displaced intraarticular fractures of the calcaneus require operative intervention to restore the anatomy of the bone, which in turn is the requirement for recovery of subtalar joint mobility. Surgery through a lateral incision, without opening the sheath of the peroneal tendons, and the use of lag screws and a "Y-plate," must restore not only the respective positions of the "three poles" of the calcaneus but also the respective orientations of the articular surfaces. Stable internal fixation allows early active and passive mobilization of the subtalar and ankle joints. If this is not achieved, the functional outcome will be poor.