title: The epidemiology of ankle injuries in professional rugby union players.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ankle injuries represent a considerable proportion of injuries to professional rugby union players; however, there is a scarcity of detailed epidemiology about these injuries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the epidemiology and assess the risk factors associated with ankle injuries sustained by a cohort of professional rugby union players.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive epidemiology study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical personnel prospectively reported time-loss injuries in professional rugby union in England, and the ankle injuries were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lateral ankle ligament injuries were the most common injury reported during matches and training, and together with Achilles tendon injuries, they accounted for more than half of the absence due to injury. The incidence rate of injuries was highest in second-row forwards. More than a quarter of injuries were recurrences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lateral ankle ligament injuries and Achilles tendon injuries should be a focus of injury prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies in professional rugby union players.
authors.affiliation: University College Hospital, London, England, UK.
authors.forename: R Andrew
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Sankey
authors.forename: John H M
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Simon P T
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: Fares S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Haddad
mesh_terms: D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology