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
. 2020 Jun;13(3):281-288.
doi: 10.1007/s12178-020-09631-1.

Return to Play After a Lateral Ligament Ankle Sprain

P D'Hooghe  1 , F Cruz  2 , K Alkhelaifi  2
Affiliations
Review

Return to Play After a Lateral Ligament Ankle Sprain

P D'Hooghe et al. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2020 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose of review: The purpose of this review is to describe the current evidence on the most common sports-related ankle injuries. Joint anatomy, epidemiology, clinical findings, diagnostic approach, and treatment are presented with a specific focus on the available evidence towards return to play.

Recent findings: Recent findings show that ankle sprain is the most common injury in the world of sports. Bony fractures, cartilage defects, and syndesmotic lesions are frequently seen in association with the more severe type of ankle sprains. In summary, the majority of the athletes' ankle sprains are managed conservatively with excellent outcomes and full return to their pre-injury level of play. However, it is essential to differentiate the single ligament sprain from a more complex injury to the ankle joint. The evidence-based treatment and rehabilitation programmes are associated with a better prognosis and a faster time to return to sport participation.

Keywords: Ankle injuries; Ligament injuries; Rehabilitation; Return to play.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Pieter D’Hooghe, Flavio Cruz, and Khalid Al Khelaifi declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The syndesmotic ankle ligaments in 3 views presented
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Antero-posterior and lateral view to the lateral ankle joint ligaments
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Maisonneuve fracture after an external rotational injury to the ankle
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Cloke DJ, Ansell P, Avery P, Deehan D. Ankle injuries in football academies: a three-centre prospective study. Br J Sports Med. 2011;45(9):702–708. - PubMed
    1. Giza E, Fuller C, Junge A, Dvorak J. Mechanisms of foot and ankle injuries in soccer. Am J Sports Med. 2003;31(4):550–554. - PubMed
    1. Cloke DJ, Spencer S, Hodson A, Deehan D. The epidemiology of ankle injuries occurring in English football association academies. Br J Sports Med. 2009;43(14):1119–1125. - PubMed
    1. Jain N, Murray D, Kemp S, Calder J. Frequency and trends in foot and ankle injuries within an English premier league football club using a new impact factor of injury to identify a focus for injury prevention. Foot Ankle Surg. 2014;20(4):237–240. - PubMed
    1. Waldén M, Hägglund M, Ekstrand J. Time-trends and circumstances surrounding ankle injuries in men’s professional football: an 11-year follow-up of the UEFA champions league injury study. Br J Sports Med. 2013;47(12):748–753. - PubMed