<h2>Summary</h2> In a prospective study of 240 patients with ankle injuries, 86·3 per cent were inversion injuries. The overall incidence of fractures was 7 per cent but in patients over 50 years of age the incidence was 27 per cent. Sixty-nine per cent of patients with minor fractures were able to walk after the accident. Clinical examination was unreliable for detecting minor fractures or for assessing the stability of the joint and radiological examination is recommended for all patients.