PURPOSE : Because of the risk of redisplacement after operative treatment of ankle fracture, postoperative immobilization in a plaster cast without weight bearing has often been used. Early weight bearing, however, would no doubt facilitate rehabilitation for many patients and fulfills one of the most important aims of internal fixation. In our study, we compared the clinical and radiological results of cast immobilizatiom with late weight bearing and early weight bearing with ankle exercise. MATERIAL AND METHODS : Forty-two patients, who had ankle fractures treated with rigid internal fixation between February 1996 and January 1998, were randomly assigned to either cast immobilization with weight bearing (n=20) or ankle exercise with early weight bearing (n=22). Radiologic follow-up was performed for the evaluation of redisplacement and clinical results between the two groups were compared. RESULT : No postoperative redisplacement was present in either group. After at least 1 year follow-up, no significant differences were found between the two groups in clinical results by Meyer's criteria. CONCLUSION : We concluded that postoperative early ankle exercise and weight bearing in rigid fixation of ankle fracture may be useful.