How soon is safe? Ambulation of the patient with burns after lower-extremity skin grafting

Patients with burns of the lower extremity that require skin grafting were randomized into three groups to determine when postgraft ambulation could be safely resumed. Dangling protocol was initiated on postoperative day 6, 8, or 10, and ambulation was started on the next day. Grafts were evaluated at six stages on a five-point scale. In the 22 patients who completed the study, there was no significant difference in scores of the three groups. There was a significant difference in length of hospital stay when patients who dangled on postoperative day 6 were compared with patients who dangled on postoperative day 10.