Ankle sprain among male amateur soccer players in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia: its prevalence and risk factors

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of ankle sprain injuries in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia along with the identification of its associated risk factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among male amateur soccer players in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia with a sample size of 385. The questionnaire was distributed electronically via social networking applications and finally, the questionnaires were collected using Google forms. Results: A total of 341 male amateur soccer players were included. Participants' age ranged from 21 to 55 years with a mean age of 26.9 ± 13.8 years old. A total of 265 (77.7%) study players previously had ankle injury which was for only one time among 31.7% and two times among 24.2% during the last 12 months. Playground nature, duration of playing, and frequency of gaming per week were significantly associated with higher incidence of ankle sprain. Conclusion: The study revealed that nearly three out of each four amateur male players experienced at least one attack of ankle sprain especially old-aged players and who use sand playgrounds.