Epidemiology of Ankle Dislocations in the United States: 2009 to 2018

Abstract

Background: Injuries to the ankle joint are common and often sustained during participation in athletic activities. There is little information regarding the overall epidemiology of ankle dislocation, both with and without associated fracture.

Design and methods: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database was queried to characterize ankle dislocation presentations to U.S. Emergency Departments (ED) from 2009-2018. Ankle dislocations were analyzed by age, sex, mechanism, and race.

Results: From 2009-2018, 30,477 patients with ankle dislocations presented to U.S. EDs with a majority (59.8%) occurring in male patients. The overall incidence of ankle dislocations increased by 54% from 2009-2018 (p = 0.017). Over half (53%) of ankle dislocations occurred in association with sports. Ankle dislocations peaked in the third decade of life at 16.94 per million person-years. For male, the age at which ankle dislocation peaked was 33.33, whereas for females, ankle dislocations peaked at 39.27.

Conclusion: Preventive strategies are necessary to decrease the risk of sustaining ankle dislocations in the adult population participating in jumping sports.

Keywords: ankle dislocations; epidemiology; sports; sports medicine.