Search

Purpose: To study the epidemiology and return to play characteristics of anterior and posterior ankle impingement syndromes (AAIS and PAIS) over 18 consecutive seasons in male professional soccer players. Methods: Between the 2001–2002 and 2018–2019 seasons, 120 European soccer teams were followed prospectively for various seasons. Time loss injuries and player exposures were recorded individually in 6754 unique players. Injury incidence and burden were reported as the number of injuries and days absence per 1000 h with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Injury severity was reported as median absence in days with the interquartile range (IQR). Results: Out of 25,462 reported injuries, 93 (0.4%) were diagnosed as AAIS (38%) or PAIS (62%) in 77 players. AAIS and PAIS were similar regarding injury characteristics except for a greater proportion of AAIS having a gradual onset (69% vs.47%; P = 0.03) and being re-injuries (31% vs. 9%; P = 0.01). Impingement syndromes resulted in an overall incidence of 0.03 injuries (95% CI 0.02–0.03) per 1000 h and an injury burden of 0.4 absence days per 1000 h. PAIS incidence was significantly higher than that for AAIS [0.02 (95% CI 0.002–0.03) vs. 0.01 (95% CI 0.005–0.01) injuries per 1000 h (RR = 1.7). The absence was significantly longer in AAIS than in PAIS [10 (22) vs. 6 (11) days; P = 0.023]. Impingement syndromes that presented with a gradual onset had longer absences in comparison to impingement with an acute onset [8 (22) vs. 5 (11) days; P = 0.014]. Match play was associated with a higher incidence and greater injury burden than training: 0.08 vs. 0.02 injuries per 1000 h (RR 4.7), respectively, and 0.9 vs. 0.3 days absence per 1000 h (RR 2.5). Conclusion: Ankle injuries are frequent in men's professional soccer and ankle impingement is increasingly recognized as a common source of pain, limited range of motion, and potential time loss. In our study, ankle impingement was the cause of time loss in less than 0.5% of all injuries. PAIS was more frequently reported than AAIS, but AAIS was associated with more absence days and a higher re-injury rate than PAIS. The findings in this study can assist the physician in best practice management on ankle impingment syndromes in professional football. Level of evidence: II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates relationship between ankle sprains and participation time in competitive orienteering. Examined 15,474 competitors in races in the Swedish O-ringen 5-day event in 1987. Injuries requiring medical attention were analyzed, showing 137 (23.9 percent) ankle sprains. Injury incidence was 8.4/10,000 hours. Incidence of ankle sprains was 1.8/1,000 hours. Confirms ankle injuries as most common orienteering injury. (TES)

Background: Soccer injuries are common, and athletes returning to play after injury are especially at risk. Few studies have investigated how to prevent reinjury. Hypothesis: The rate of reinjury is reduced using a coach-controlled rehabilitation program. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: Twenty-four male amateur soccer teams were randomized into an intervention (n = 282) and control group (n = 300). The intervention was implemented by team coaches and consisted of information about risk factors for reinjury, rehabilitation principles, and a 10-step progressive rehabilitation program including return to play criteria. During the 2003 season, coaches reported individual exposure and all time loss injuries were evaluated by a doctor and a physiotherapist. Four teams (n = 100) withdrew from the study after randomization, leaving 10 teams with 241 players for analysis in both groups. Results: There were 90 injured players (132 injuries) in the intervention group, and 10 of these (11%) suffered 14 reinjuries during the season. In the control group, 23 of 79 injured players (29%) had 40 recurrences (134 injuries). A Cox regression analysis showed a 66% reinjury risk reduction in the intervention group for all injury locations (hazard ratio [HR] 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.16-0.72, P = .0047) and 75% for lower limb injuries (HR 0.25, 95% CI 0.11-0.57, P < .001). The preventive effect was greatest within the first week of return to play. Injured players in the intervention group complied with the intervention for 90 of 132 injuries (68%). Conclusion: The reinjury rate in amateur male soccer players was reduced after a controlled rehabilitation program implemented by coaches. Keywords: soccer; football; recurrent injury; prevention; rehabilitation, Although injuries in soccer are common, many injuries can be prevented. (9),(22) However, there are still relatively few studies that evaluate preventive measures for soccer injuries. In a recent review, [...]