The Prevalence of Selected Intrinsic Risk Factors for Ankle Sprain Among Elite Football and Basketball Players.
BACKGROUND
Lateral ankle sprains (LAS) are among the most common sports- related injuries and the reinjury rate is very high.


OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of some intrinsic risk factors among professional football and basketball players with or without history of acute or recurrent ankle sprain.


METHODS
One hundred and six professional football and basketball players who were referred for pre-participation examinations were recruited in this study. Prepared checklist was completed for each participant. Athletes were asked for any history of previous ankle sprain and the severity (based of self-description of signs and symptoms by the athlete), level and number of injuries in the last two years. All players were assessed for measures of foot posture index- 6, foot length and width, Beighton generalized joint laxity score, anterior drawer and talar tilt tests, star excursion and single leg balance tests and goniometric assessment of ankle plantarflexion, ankle dorsiflexion and first metatarsophalangeal dorsiflexion.


RESULTS
Forty eight basketball players (45.3%) and 58 football players (54.7%) with mean (SD) age of 19.8 (4.5) years participated. About 58.5% and 14.2% of athletes had a history of ankle sprain and recurrent sprain in at least one extremity, respectively. Sprains were more prevalent in basketball players and in dominant leg. There was no significant difference in assessed risk factors between athletes with and without history of ankle sprain, except for positive single leg balance test which was more prevalent in athletes with history of ankle sprain and also for positive talar tilt test and decreased ankle plantarflexion range of motion in acute and recurrent injury of left ankle.


CONCLUSIONS
Some intrinsic risk factors including lateral ankle ligaments laxity, balance and ankle plantarflexion seem to be related to acute or recurrent LAS in athletes. Further research is needed to reveal the role of different arthrokinematics following lateral ankle sprain.
Sports Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Farzin
F
Halabchi
Assistant Professor of Sports Medicine, Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Hazrat Rasool-e-Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Hooman
H
Angoorani
Sports Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Maryam
M
Mirshahi
Sports Medicine Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Mohammad Hosein
MH
Pourgharib Shahi
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Mohammad Ali
MA
Mansournia
Ankle Sprain; Athletes; Balance; Instability; Intrinsic Risk Factors; Joint Laxity