Abstract:Objective To make classification and segment measurement for the cases with tibiofibular and ankle fractures in parachuting landing, and investigate main classification types of parachuting fractures and fracture segments of high risk.Methods A total of 56 fracture cases in parachuting landing were collected, and the tibiofibula and ankle fractures were classified according to AO-OTA or Lauge-Hansen classification standards respectively based on their digital X-ray images. The medium plane between talus and tibia joint planes in ankle joint was defined as the reference plane. The highest and lowest injury points of tibia and fibula were marked respectively, and the fracture segment was defined between the highest and lowest point for statistical analysis.Results For tibiofibular and ankle fracture cases in parachuting landing, fracture at both tibia and fibula accounted for 80.4%. The major classification of tibiofibula fracture was 42-D/5.2 (45.8%) and 42-D/5.1 (16.7%). The major classification for ankle fracture was pronation-external rotation (PER, 59.4%) and supination-external rotation (SER, 37.5%). When tibiofibular and ankle fracture cases in parachuting landing occurred, the fracture segment of the tibia was mainly from 57 to 143 mm above the reference plane and from 6 mm below the reference plane to 24 mm above the reference plane, while the fracture segment of the fibula was 4-45 mm and 74-83 mm above the reference plane. Injury risks of all above segments were higher than 50%.Conclusions For protection of lower limbs in parachuting landing, the fracture at both tibia and fibula should be highly noticed. The ankle motion of PER and SER should be especially restricted in parachuting ankle protection.