Background
Ankle sprains are the most common musculoskeletal injuries that occur in athletes. Their frequent nature and the persistent disability that often ensues, has lead to considerable medical costs. The importance of finding ways to prevent these injuries is therefore of paramount importance to athletes, their teams and the medical system as a whole.
Objective
To review the published evidence on the effectiveness of various methods in the prevention of ankle sprains in the athletic population.
Design: A literature search was conducted using multiple databases, including the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Injuries Group's specialized register, the Medline, PubMed, Embase and Cinahl search registers. The search included articles published between 1980-May 2022. Only prospective, level 1 and 2, randomized and quasi-randomized trials (RCTs) were reviewed. Keywords used in the search were "prevention" in combination with "ankle sprains".
Results
Overall, 42 RCTs were reviewed consisting of a total of 26,233 participants. The studies showed a significant reduction in the number of ankle sprains in individuals allocated to an external ankle support group. This reduction was greater for those with a previous history of ankle sprains. Braces seemed to be more effective in preventing ankle sprains than tape. Appropriately applied braces, tape or orthoses, do not adversely affect performance. Proprioceptive training reduced the incidence of ankle sprains in athletes with recurrent ankle sprains to the same level as subjects without any history of ankle sprains.
Conclusions
Semi–rigid orthoses or aircasts are more effective than taping to reduce the incidence of sprains. Sensori-motor control can seemingly be improved in previously injured ankles, such that the risk equals that of healthy ankles. Rules must be changed to limit contact between players and possibly harsher penalties introduced. When the above interventions are utilized effectively, ankle sprains can be significantly prevented.