This article systematically reviews epidemiological studies on sports injury from 1977 to 2005 in which ankle injury was included. A total of 227 studies reporting injury pattern in 70 sports from 38 countries were included. A total of 201 600 patients were included, with 32 509 ankle injuries. Ankle injury information was available from 14 098 patients, with 11 847 ankle sprains. Results show that the ankle was the most common injured body site in 24 of 70 included sports, especially in aeroball, wall climbing, indoor volleyball, mountaineering, netball and field events in track and field. Ankle sprain was the major ankle injury in 33 of 43 sports, especially in Australian football, field hockey, handball, orienteering, scooter and squash. In sports injuries throughout the countries studied, the ankle was the second most common injured body site after the knee, and ankle sprain was the most common type of ankle injury. The incidence of ankle injury and ankle sprain was high in court games and team sports, such as rugby, soccer, volleyball, handball and basketball. This systematic review provides a summary of the epidemiology of ankle injury in sports.

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A systematic review on ankle injury and ankle sprain in sports.

Objective:To determine the effect of landing type (unilateral vs. bilateral) and gender on the biomechanics of drop landings in recreational athletes.Design:This study used a repeated measures design to compare bilateral and unilateral landings in male and female athletes. A repeated measures multiv

Biomechanical differences between unilateral and bilateral landings from a jump: gender differences.

Studies regarding ankle and foot overuse injuries are quite diverse in research methodology, data reporting, and outcomes. The aims of this systematic review were to analyze the methodology of published studies regarding ankle and foot overuse injuries in different sports disciplines and to summarize epidemiological data of ankle and foot overuse injuries. Four electronic databases, PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus(®) were systematically searched up to June 2011. A total of 89 articles on 23 sports disciplines were included in this review. Soccer, running, and gymnastics were the most frequently studied sports. Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, and stress fracture were the most frequently studied injuries. Study design and reporting methods were heterogeneous. Most studies suffered from a weak methodology and poor reporting. The most common weaknesses were lack of a clear case definition, describing assessment procedures and reporting sample characteristics. Due to methodological heterogeneity of studies, inter-sports and intra-sports comparisons and meta-analysis were not possible. Methodology of most studies on incidence and prevalence of ankle and foot overuse injuries is insufficient. Based on the results, we recommend authors to clearly define cases, describe assessment procedures and report sample characteristics adequately.

Epidemiology of ankle and foot overuse injuries in sports: a systematic review.

Purpose: Recurrence of ankle sprains is common among athletes. Although ankle taping reduces the risk of injury, the mechanism underlying its effectiveness remains unclear. Anecdotal reports suggest a role of the belief among athletes that taping will protect them from injury. That is, taping may have a placebo effect. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether there was a placebo effect with ankle taping in individuals with ankle instability. Methods: Thirty participants with ankle instability completed a hopping test and a modified star excursion balance test under three conditions: (i) real tape, (ii) placebo tape, and (iii) control (no tape). Participants were blinded to the purpose of the study and were informed that the study aimed to compare two methods of ankle taping referred to as mechanical (real) and proprioceptive (placebo). The order of testing the three conditions and the two functional tests was randomized. Results: There was no significant difference in performance among the three conditions for the hopping test (P = 0.865) or the modified star excursion balance test (P = 0.491). However, a secondary exploratory analysis revealed that participants' perceptions of stability, confidence, and reassurance increased with both real and placebo ankle taping when performing the functional tasks. Conclusion: The role of the placebo effect of ankle taping in individuals with ankle instability remains unclear. Clinicians should, therefore, continue to use ankle-taping techniques of known efficacy. They should, however, focus on maximizing patients' beliefs in the efficacy of ankle taping, because its application reassured participants and improved their perceived stability and confidence. The effect of ankle taping on participants' perceptions may contribute to its effectiveness in preventing injury.

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The placebo effect of ankle taping in ankle instability.

Female athletes are substantially more susceptible than males to suffer acute non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury. A limited number of studies have identified possible biomechanical risk factors that differ between genders. The effect of fatigue on the biomechanics of landing has also been inadequately investigated. The objective of the study was to examine the effect of gender and fatigue on peak values of biomechanical variables during landing from a jump. Thirty-two recreational athletes performed bilateral drop jump landings from a 40 cm platform. Kinetic, kinematic and electromyographic data were collected before and after a functional fatigue protocol. Females landed with 9° greater peak knee valgus (p = 0.001) and 140% greater maximum vertical ground reaction forces (p = 0.003) normalized to body weight compared to males. Fatigue increased peak foot abduction by 1.7° (p = 0.042), peak rectus femoris activity by 27% (p = 0.018), and peak vertical ground reaction force (p = 0.038) by 20%. The results of the study suggest that landing with increased peak knee valgus and vertical ground reaction force may contribute to increased risk for knee injury in females. Fatigue caused significant but small changes on some biomechanical variables. Anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention programs should focus on implementing strategies to effectively teach females to control knee valgus and ground reaction force. Key pointsFemale athletes landed with increased knee valgus and VGRF which may predispose them to ACL injury.Fatigue elicited a similar response in male and female athletes.The effectiveness of sports injury prevention programs may improve by focusing on teaching females to land softer and with less knee valgus.

http://www.jssm.org/hfpdf.php?volume=06&issue=1&page=77

The effect of gender and fatigue on the biomechanics of bilateral landings from a jump: peak values.

Objectives: To record the incidence of lower limb injuries (acute and overuse syndromes) in Greek artistic gymnasts in relation to the event and exercise phase. 

Methods: A total of 162 gymnasts (83 male and 79 female athletes) participating in the Greek artistic gymnastic championships were observed weekly for the 1999–2000 season. 

Results: Ninety three (61.6%) acute injuries and 58 (38.4%) overuse syndromes were recorded. The most common anatomical location was the ankle (69 cases, 45.7%), followed by the knee (40 cases, 26.5%). The rate of mild injuries was 26.6% (25 cases), that of moderate injuries was 44% (41 cases), and that of major injuries was 29% (27 cases). The incidence of injury to the ankle and knee was significantly higher in the floor exercise, especially during the landing phase, than in the other events. 

Conclusions: By its nature, gymnastics predisposes to acute injuries, but up to 75% are mild or moderate. Special attention should be paid to the floor exercise, especially the landing phase.

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/37/2/137.full.pdf

Occurrence of acute lower limb injuries in artistic gymnasts in relation to event and exercise phase

Objectives The purpose of this study was to record the incidence of Sport Injuries (acute and overuse syndromes) in Greek artistic gymnasts in relation to sex, age, event and exercise phase. Methods 187 Greek elite artistic gymnastic athletes (100 male and 87 female athletes) participating in Greek artistic gymnastic championship involving all age-related categories, were observed on a weekly basis for a year. The athletes consisted of the pre-national team that was chosen to prepare for the next Olympic games. Results 147 (61.5%)acute injuries and 93 (38.5%) overuse syndromes were recorded. The most common anatomical location of injury was the ankle (110 cases, 46%), followed by the knee (63 cases, 26.2%). According to the results, the rate which involved mild injuries was 26.8% (64 cases, 34 males, 30 females) moderate injuries was 44% (106 cases, 59 males, 48 females), major injuries was 29% (70 cases, 38 males, 31 females). For the total sport injuries recorded, the injury incidence on the "floor" and especially during "landing phase", were statistically significant. Conclusions Artistic gymnastics predisposes to acute injuries, by its nature, but up to 70% are mild and moderate. Special attention needs to be given during "floor exercises", especially on landing phase.

Injuries in artistic gymnastic elite adolescent male and female athletes.

A two-year epidemiological study of young artistic gymnasts' ankle injuries.

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P. Kirialanis

Papers

Occurrence of acute lower limb injuries in artistic gymnasts in relation to event and exercise phase

Injuries in artistic gymnastic elite adolescent male and female athletes.

A two-year epidemiological study of young artistic gymnasts' ankle injuries.

gymnasts in relation to event and exercise phase Occurrence of acute lower limb injuries in artistic