I think the older editions should be ok. The most important thing in handbook of fx is how simple and well organized the info is--which is perfect for your rotations. The best areas to emphasize during studying for your rotations are classifications, basic mechanisms of injury, basic treatment protocols (op vs. non-op), and basic epidemiology (ie, most common type of distal radius fx)--and these will not be different in the newer editions because it hasn't changed. If you know those basics about fractures on call, you'll be doing very well. And for surgical cases, the anatomy is probably what you'd get questioned about as a rotator--and that should be unchanged in hoppenfeld's as well.
The new editions will have updated info on new research, which obviously is important, and it will have new imaging/photos too. It might not be a bad idea to just pick them up now, but I think you'd be fine using the old ones as a student.
Just my 2 cents
--Ben
PGY1
