High- versus low-top shoes for the prevention of ankle sprains in basketball players. A prospective randomized study.
Using a prospective, randomized experimental design, 622 college intramural basketball players were stratified by a previous history of ankle sprains to wear a new pair of either high-top, high-top with inflatable air chambers, or low-top basketball shoes during all games for a complete season. Subjects were asked to complete a history questionnaire and were given a complete ankle examination. They were allowed to wear these shoes only during basketball competition. Followed over the course of a 2-month intramural season, 15 ankle injuries occurred during 39,302 minutes of player-time: 7 in high-top shoes, 4 in low-top shoes, and 4 in high-top shoes with inflatable air chambers. The injury rates (injuries per player-minute) were 4.80 x 10(-4) in high-top shoes, 4.06 x 10(-4) in low-top shoes, and 2.69 x 10(-4) in high-top shoes with inflatable air chambers. There was no significant difference among these 3 groups, leading to the conclusion that there is no strong relationship between shoe type and ankle sprains.
Barrett
J R
JR
Department of Family Medicine, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City 73104.
Tanji
J L
JL
Drake
C
C
Fuller
D
D
Kawasaki
R I
RI
Fenton
R M
RM
D000328:Adult; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D001490:Basketball / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D012107:Research Design; D012775:Shoes; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000517:prevention & control*