Chronic ankle morbidity in obese children following an acute ankle injury.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between childhood obesity as measured by body mass index (BMI) and long-term morbidity after an acute ankle sprain.


METHODS
Six-month prospective cohort study with follow-up telephone questionnaires at 6 weeks and 6 months.


METHODS
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center emergency department.


METHODS
Children between the ages of 8 and 18 years who presented with a chief complaint of an acute ankle injury were enrolled in the study. Children with ankle fractures were excluded. Exposed children were defined as those with a BMI in the 85th or greater percentile for age. Nonexposed children were defined as those with a BMI in the less than 85th percentile for age.


METHODS
Persistent symptoms of pain, swelling, or weakness; pain during or after exercise; and recurrent ankle injury.


RESULTS
A total of 199 children were enrolled. The exposed and nonexposed groups were similar in terms of sex, age, and ethnicity. A total of 164 (93%) had complete follow-up at 6 months. Six months after an ankle injury, children with a BMI in the 85th or greater percentile for age were more likely to sustain persistent symptoms (relative risk, 1.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-2.61).


CONCLUSIONS
Overweight children are more likely to have persistent symptoms 6 months after an acute ankle sprain.
Timm
Nathan L
NL
Division of Emergency Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3039, USA. Nathan.timm@cchmc.org
Grupp-Phelan
Jacqueline
J
Ho
Mona L
ML
D000293:Adolescent; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004487:Edema / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009820:Ohio; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires