Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2019 Jun;54(6):603-610.
doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-447-17. Epub 2019 May 28.

Epidemiology of Ankle Sprains and Chronic Ankle Instability

Mackenzie M Herzog  1   2   3 , Zachary Y Kerr  4 , Stephen W Marshall  1   3 , Erik A Wikstrom  4
Affiliations
Review

Epidemiology of Ankle Sprains and Chronic Ankle Instability

Mackenzie M Herzog et al. J Athl Train. 2019 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: To provide a focused overview of the existing literature on the epidemiology of acute ankle sprains (lateral, medial, and high/syndesmotic) with an emphasis on incidence studies from the United States. In addition, we provide a brief overview of chronic ankle instability (CAI), posttraumatic osteoarthritis, and injury prevention to contribute to our understanding of the epidemiology of these injuries and the current state of the science on ankle sprains and ankle instability in sports medicine.

Background: Acute ankle sprains are one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries, with a high incidence among physically active individuals. Additionally, acute ankle sprains have a high recurrence rate, which is associated with the development of CAI. Understanding the epidemiology of these injuries is important for improving patients' musculoskeletal health and reducing the burden of lower limb musculoskeletal conditions.

Description: Acute ankle-sprain incidence rates are summarized among the general population, as well as among physically active populations, including organized athletics and military personnel, with a focus on incidence in the United States. The link between a prior ankle sprain and a future acute ankle sprain is described. We also discuss the association between the incident ankle sprain and adverse, long-term outcomes such as CAI and posttraumatic osteoarthritis. Finally, we summarize injury-prevention successes and future directions for research and prevention.

Clinical applications: This information is useful for health care providers to understand the expected incidence rates of acute ankle sprains, be aware of the association between ankle sprains and negative short- and long-term outcomes, and be familiar with existing injury-prevention programs.

Keywords: incidence; injury prevention; musculoskeletal; posttraumatic osteoarthritis; recurrent injury; reinjury.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Finch C, Owen N, Price R. Current injury or disability as a barrier to being more physically active. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001;33(5):778–782. - PubMed
    1. Franklin BA, Billecke S. Putting the benefits and risks of aerobic exercise in perspective. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2012;11(4):201–208. - PubMed
    1. Gerber JP, Williams GN, Scoville CR, Arciero RA, Taylor DC. Persistent disability associated with ankle sprains: a prospective examination of an athletic population. Foot Ankle Int. 1998;19(10):653–660. - PubMed
    1. Waterman BR, Owens BD, Davey S, Zacchilli MA, Belmont PJ., Jr The epidemiology of ankle sprains in the United States. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2010;92(13):2279–2284. - PubMed
    1. Cumps E, Verhagen E, Meeusen R. Prospective epidemiological study of basketball injuries during one competitive season: ankle sprains and overuse knee injuries. J Sports Sci Med. 2007;6(2):204–211. - PMC - PubMed