title: The effectiveness of the parachutist ankle brace in reducing ankle injuries in an airborne ranger battalion.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine if the parachutist ankle brace (PAB) decreases the number and severity of ankle injuries in an airborne Ranger battalion. A retrospective study was performed covering a 38-month period. A computer database was used to track all jump injuries with a diagnosis of ankle pain, sprain, or fracture. The frequency was calculated for ankle injuries per 1,000 jumps and the average length of medically restricted duty per ankle injury. A total of 13,782 static line parachute jumps were conducted during the study period. Without the PAB, 35 ankle injuries were seen (4.5/1,000 jumps), with 9 fractures and 316 days of medical restriction per 1,000 jumps. Using the PAB, 9 ankle injuries were seen (1.5/1,000 jumps), with 3 fractures and 71 days of medical restriction per 1,000 jumps. The correct use of the PAB appeared to significantly decrease the incidence of ankle injuries in this battalion.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Surgery Service, Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, GA 30905, USA.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Schumacher
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Creedon
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Pope
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001359:Aviation; D001915:Braces / Q000592:standards*; D004867:Equipment Design; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008889:Military Personnel; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*