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. 2024 Mar 8;10(1):23.
doi: 10.1186/s40798-024-00693-w.

Low Ankle-GO Score While Returning to Sport After Lateral Ankle Sprain Leads to a 9-fold Increased Risk of Recurrence: A Two-year Prospective Cohort Study

Brice Picot  1   2   3 , François Fourchet  4   5 , Ronny Lopes  6 , Gauthier Rauline  7 , Kinan Freiha  7 , Pieter D'hooghe  8 , Eugénie Valentin  7 , Alexandre Hardy  7
Affiliations

Low Ankle-GO Score While Returning to Sport After Lateral Ankle Sprain Leads to a 9-fold Increased Risk of Recurrence: A Two-year Prospective Cohort Study

Brice Picot et al. Sports Med Open. .

Abstract

Background: Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is the most common sports injury, leading to a high rate of recurrence and the development of chronic ankle instability. One possible explanation is the lack of objective, evidence-based criteria to inform return to sport decisions following LAS. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the efficacy of a new functional score to distinguish patients at risk of recurrent LAS within two years after the initial injury.

Methods: The Ankle-GO score was used in 64 active patients two months after LAS. This composite score includes 2 self-reported questionnaires and 4 functional tests, for a maximum score of 25 points. The rate of reinjury was prospectively recorded 2 years after inclusion. Potential predictive variables for reinjury were tested using the Chi-square and independent t-tests. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) with the optimal cut-off score was determined to assess the predictive value of the Ankle-GO score for the risk of reinjury. Multivariate logistic regression was then used to determine the influence of risk factors of reinjury.

Results: Fifty-four (85%) patients were included (23 men and 31 women, 34.7 ± 13 years old) including 18 (33.3%) with a reinjury. The two-month Ankle-GO score was lower in patients with a recurrent LAS (5.4 ± 2.8 points vs. 9.1 ± 4.5, p = 0.002) and predicted the risk of reinjury (AUC = 0.75). Patients with < 8 points were found to have a significantly higher risk of reinjury (OR = 8.6; 95%CI: 2-37.2, p = 0.001). Women also tend to have a higher risk of recurrence (OR = 3.8; 95%CI: 0.9-15.5, p = 0.065).

Conclusion: The Ankle-GO score is a new objective criterion for RTS after LAS. Patients with a low score at two months have a 9-fold greater risk of recurrence within two years.

Keywords: Ankle-GO; Lateral ankle sprain; Reinjury; Return-to-sport; Risk factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

Brice PICOT, François FOURCHET, Ronny LOPES, Gauthier RAULINE, Kinan FREIHA, Pieter D’HOOGHE, Eugénie VALENTIN and Alexandre HARDY declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart of inclusion and analysis
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
(a) Ankle-GO scores at two months in patients with a recurrent LAS within two years and those without (b) Estimate plot of the probability of recurrence. **p < 0.01
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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