title: Long term outcomes of inversion ankle injuries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ankle sprains are common sporting injuries generally believed to be benign and self limiting. However, some studies report a significant proportion of patients with ankle sprains having persistent symptoms for months or even years.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the proportion of patients presenting to an Australian sports medicine clinic who had long term symptoms after a sports related inversion ankle sprain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients referred to the NSW Institute of Sports Medicine from August 1999 to August 2002 with inversion ankle sprain were included. Exclusion criteria were fracture, ankle surgery, or concurrent lower limb problems. A control group, matched for age and sex, was recruited from patients attending the clinic for upper limb injuries in the same time period. Current ankle symptoms, ankle related disability, and current health status were ascertained through a structured telephone interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen patients and matched controls were recruited and interviewed. The mean age in the ankle group was 20 (range 13-28). Twelve patients (63%) were male. Average follow up was 29 months. Only five (26%) ankle injured patients had recovered fully, with no pain, swelling, giving way, or weakness at follow up. None of the control group reported these symptoms (p<0.0001). Assessments of quality of life using short form-36 questionnaires (SF36) revealed a difference in the general health subscale between the two groups, favouring the control arm (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the other SF36 subscales between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients who sustained an inversion ankle injury at sport and who were subsequently referred to a sports medicine clinic had persistent symptoms for at least two years after their injury. This reinforces the importance of prevention and early effective treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Concord Hospital, Hospital Road, Concord, NSW 2139, Australia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anandacoomarasamy
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barnsley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*
references.citation: J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2002 Jan;32(1):16-23
references.pmid: 11787905
references.citation: Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2002 Jun;12(3):129-35
references.pmid: 12135444
references.citation: Clin Evid. 2002 Jun;(7):945-53
references.pmid: 12230717
references.citation: Foot Ankle Int. 2003 Mar;24(3):274-82
references.pmid: 12793494
references.citation: Arch Fam Med. 1999 Mar-Apr;8(2):143-8
references.pmid: 10101985
references.citation: Orthop Clin North Am. 1994 Jan;25(1):1-16
references.pmid: 8290222
references.citation: Br J Sports Med. 1994 Jun;28(2):112-6
references.pmid: 7921910
references.citation: Foot Ankle Int. 1998 Oct;19(10):653-60
references.pmid: 9801078
references.citation: Clin Podiatr Med Surg. 1989 Jul;6(3):629-37
references.pmid: 2568882