Use Of Ankle Braces Research Articles

Sure Steps: Key Strategies for Protecting Basketball Players from Injuries-A Systematic Review.

Background: Basketball is a high-intensity sport, which includes actions such as jumping, changes of direction, accelerations, and decelerations, which generates fatigue situations that may increase the risk of injury. Specifically, the joints at greatest risk are the ankle and knee, with ankle sprains and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears being the most prevalent injuries. There are several strategies aimed at reducing the incidence, based on training methods or other prophylactic measures. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to perform a systematic review of the different injury prevention strategies in competitive-level basketball players with respect to general injuries, ankle sprains, and ACL injuries. Methods: For this purpose, the PRISMA methodology was applied, performing a search in three databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Cochrane) between 25 September 2023 and 8 October 2023. Results: A total of 964 articles were identified, out of which 283 were duplicates and 644 were discarded. Out of the remaining 37, 23 were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria; therefore, 14 articles were finally included. With respect to general injuries, 8 out of 14 studies reviewed them. Concerning ankle sprains, 7 studies specifically analyzed them. Finally, 3 studies focused on ACL injuries. Conclusions: Training programs that combine different contents, known as neuromuscular training, including strength work, stabilization or core, mobility, and agility are the most effective for both general injuries and ACL injuries. For ankle sprains, the most effective measures are training programs based on analytical ankle stability exercises and the use of ankle braces. Adherence to prevention programs is essential, so they can be included as part of the warm-up. Other strategies such as training load control, functional assessment, or rule modification are not used in the included articles, so their effectiveness as prophylactic methods could not be justified.

Milestones of progression in myotonic dystrophy type 1 and type 2.

Disease progression in myotonic dystrophy (DM) is marked by milestone events when functional thresholds are crossed. DM type 2 (DM2) is considered less severe than DM type 1 (DM1), but it is unknown whether this applies uniformly to all features. We compared the age-dependent risk for milestone events in DM1 and DM2 and tested for associations with age of onset and sex. We studied a large cohort of adult participants in a national registry of DM1 and DM2. Using annual surveys from participants, we ascertained milestone events for motor involvement (use of cane, walker, ankle brace, wheelchair, or ventilatory device), systemic involvement (diabetes, pacemaker, cancer), loss of employment due to DM, and death. Mean follow-up of registry participants (929 DM1 and 222 DM2patients) was 7 years. Disability and motor milestones occurred at earlier ages in DM1 than in DM2. In contrast, the risk of diabetes was higher and tended to occur earlier in DM2 (hazard ratio [HR],0.56; P≤ .001). In DM1, the milestone events tended to occur earlier, and life expectancy was reduced, when symptoms began at younger ages. In DM1, men were at greater risk for disability (HR,1.34; P≤ .01), use of ankle braces (HR,1.41; P= .02), and diabetes (HR,2.2; P≤ .0001), whereas women were at greater risk for needing walkers (HR,0.68; P= .001) or malignancy (HR, 0.66; P≤ .01). Milestone events recorded through registries can be used to assess long-term impact of DM in large cohorts. Except for diabetes, the age-related risk of milestone events is greater in DM1 than in DM2.

EFFECTS OF WEARING AN ANKLE BRACE ON GROUND REACTION FORCES DURING JUMPS IN BASKETBALL GAME SIMULATION

ABSTRACT Introduction: The use of ankle braces reduces the risk of ankle injuries in basketball players. However, the mechanisms of injury protection provided by the ankle braces in the basketball game are still unknown. Objectives: To analyze the effects of wearing a lace-up ankle brace, and to conduct an exercise protocol that simulated the intensity of the basketball game on ground reaction force (GRF) during basketball-specific vertical jumps. Methods: Eleven male younger basketball players aged under 18 completed 48 vertical jumps, with and without ankle braces, during an exercise protocol composed of four 10-minute periods, simulating the activity profile and intensity of the basketball game as well as the typical intervals between periods. Mediolateral (variables: the greatest medial and lateral peaks) and vertical (variables: vertical peak, impulse peak, impulse at 50 ms of landing, loading rate and jump height) GRF were measured during takeoff and landing for all the jumps performed in the exercise protocol. Results: The use of the ankle brace reduced mediolateral GRF in all periods of the exercise protocol during takeoff and landing ( P < 0.05), without affecting the vertical GRF ( P > 0.05). Mediolateral and vertical GRF (takeoff mediolateral vertical peaks, landing mediolateral peaks, landing impulse peak, takeoff and landing loading rate) increased significantly during four subsequent 10-minute periods ( P < 0.05). However, for mediolateral GRF, the increase overtime was higher without braces. Conclusions: The use of the ankle brace reduced the mediolateral GRF on the lower limb, while there was a progressive increase in the external load applied to the body during the vertical jumps in the subsequent periods of the exercise protocol performed at the same intensity of the basketball game. Level of evidence I; Randomized clinical trial .

The Effect of Ankle Brace Use on a 3-Step Volleyball Spike Jump Height

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine whether ankle brace use in university-level varsity volleyball athletes affected their 3-step spike jump height and whether certain types of ankle braces have a greater effect on jump height.MethodsNine male university-level varsity volleyball athletes participated in a repeated-measures design study in which each athlete performed three 3-step volleyball spike jumps in 3 ankle brace conditions (soft, rigid, and no brace). Vertical jump height was measured by the Vertec device and video motion analysis at a university biomechanics research laboratory.ResultsVertical jump heights were significantly lower in both brace conditions (soft, 2.3 cm, standard deviation [SD] 1.2 cm, P < .001; rigid, 1.7 cm, SD 0.9 cm, P < .003) compared with the no-brace condition, and no differences in vertical jump height were observed between the brace conditions (0.6 cm, SD 0.3, P = .3). There was a negative correlation between body fat percentage and vertical jump height (r = –0.075, P = .02). The Vertec device reliably measured vertical jump in all 3 conditions. The no-brace vertical ground reaction forces during the loading phase were significantly greater than brace conditions. Ankle range of motion was greatest in the no-brace condition.ConclusionsResults from this study suggests that high-performance athletes wearing ankle braces experience a significant decrease in vertical jump height independent of the type of ankle brace worn.Clinical RelevanceSports physicians and health care providers caring for high-level athletes should counsel athletes on the trade-offs of wearing protective equipment in sport, as potential decreases in sports performance can lead to increased injury prevention.Level of EvidenceIII.

ANKLE BRACE USE AND RISK OF ACUTE LOWER EXTREMITY INJURY AMONG FEMALE HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS

Background:Lower extremity injuries (LEIs), particularly ankle sprains, are the most common injury reported among female volleyball players. Many athletes wear ankle braces to help prevent injury; however, it is unknown whether ankle brace use reduces the rate and severity of ankle and LEI in these athletes.Hypothesis/Purpose:Determine if ankle brace use is associated with a reduced rate and severity of LEIs and ankle injuries among female high school volleyball players.Methods:2073 female volleyball players from 78 high schools were prospectively followed for injury, including acute LEI, during their fall 2018 volleyball season. Baseline data was collected on each participant including ankle brace use and type worn. Brace type was classified as soft- (e.g. fabric) or hard-shell. Injury severity was measured as days lost from sport. Incidence rates are reported per 1000 athlete exposures.Results:210 acute LEIs were observed during the season, of which 122 (58%) were ankle injuries. 76% of non-contact LEIs were due to jumping/landing or rotating around a planted foot. Similarly, 76% of contact LEIs were due to the floor or a teammate. The rate of LEI for athletes wearing soft-shell(SS) braces was 1.14 (95% CI: 0.76, 1.72), compared to 0.53 (95% CI: 0.25, 1.10) for those wearing hard-shells (HS) and 0.52 (95% CI: 0.37, 0.71) for those not wearing braces (NONE). The rate of a LEI for athletes wearing SS was 2.22 (95% CI: 1.31, 3.74) times as high as that for NONE (p=0.003). No association was found between LEI risk in athletes wearing HS versus NONE (IRR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.45, 2.30). Similarly, the rates of ankle injury for HS, SS and NONE were 0.08 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.530), 0.40 (95% CI: 0.20, 0.79), and 0.16 (95% CI: 0.09, 0.28), respectively. The rate of ankle injury was 2.5 times as great in participants wearing SS compared to NONE (p=0.04). No association was detected for HS braces (p=0.48). No difference in median days lost for LEI (HS: 2[IQR 1,13], SS: 4[1, 10] None: 3[1,9]) or ankle injury (HS: 7[IQR 2,13], SS: 5[1, 11] None: 3[1,10]) was detected by brace use (p=0.99, p=0.79, respectively).Conclusion:The use of SS braces resulted in an increased risk of LEI and ankle injury among female high-school volleyball players; moreover, HS braces were not found to be associated with injury risk nor did ankle brace use affect severity of LEI and ankle injury in this population.

Ankle brace attenuates the medial-lateral ground reaction force during basketball rebound jump

ABSTRACT Introduction: The jump landing is the leading cause for ankle injuries in basketball. It has been shown that the use of ankle brace is effective to prevent these injuries by increasing the mechanical stability of the ankle at the initial contact of the foot with the ground. Objective: To investigate the effects of ankle brace on the ground reaction force (GRF) during the simulation of a basketball rebound jump. Method: Eleven young male basketball players randomly carried out a simulated basketball rebound jump under two conditions, with and without ankle brace (lace-up). Dynamic parameters of vertical GRF (take-off and landing vertical peaks, time to take-off and landing vertical peaks, take-off impulse peak, impulse at 50 milliseconds of landing, and jump height) and medial-lateral (take-off and landing medial-lateral peaks, and time to reach medial-lateral peaks at take-off and landing) were recorded by force platform during rebound jumps in each tested condition. The comparisons between the tested conditions were performed by paired t test (P&lt;0.05). Results: The use of ankle braces reduced the medial and lateral peaks of the GRF by -15.7% (P=0.035) and -24.9% (P=0.012), respectively, during the landing of the rebound jump. Additionally, wearing the brace did not affect any dynamic parameters of vertical GRF or temporal parameters of the medial-lateral GRF (P&gt;0.05). Conclusion: The use of ankle brace during basketball rebound jumps attenuates the magnitude of medial-lateral GRF on the landing phase, without changing the vertical GRF. This finding indicates that the use of brace increases the medial-lateral mechanical protection by decreasing the shear force exerted on the athlete’s body without change the application of propulsive forces in the take-off and the impact absorption quality in the landing during the basketball rebound jump.

Prophylactic Ankle Bracing in Military Settings: A Review of the Literature.

Within athletics and the military, ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries with the potential for long-term functional deficits. Incidence rates for ankle sprains within the military are one of the leading causes of limited duty days, especially during basic combat training, parachute training exercises, and in cadet populations. In 2008, the Department of Defense U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine report recommended that military personnel should wear semirigid ankle braces during parachuting, basketball, soccer, and other similar high-risk activities to reduce ankle sprain injuries. This recommendation was developed using a majority of athletic references with limited data stemming from military works. Of these included military studies, none presented data on ankle braces and their effects on performance, especially in military-specific environments. The purpose of this review was to provide an up-to-date account on the use of ankle braces in military populations and effects on performance measures. A comprehensive online systematic review of the literature was conducted to delineate the current use of ankle braces in the military and how they specifically affect functional performance measures. The scope of this study eliminated military studies that were not prospective in nature or did not incorporate subjects wearing military equipment (i.e., combat boots). It was determined that little progress has been made in validating the use of semirigid ankle braces in military populations other than in instances such as parachuting and only in reducing the number ankle injuries. To date, only one study has looked specifically at the use of ankle braces and its effects on performance measures in a military sample. With the high incidence rate and increased risk for subsequent reinjury, ankle sprains are an economic and force readiness burden to the U.S. Armed Forces. This study was conducted to determine whether additional literature was available for the use of ankle braces on performance measures in the military. It was determined that there is a scarcity of information currently available on the use of ankle braces in military populations, outside of parachuting activities. The Department of Defense recommendation of using semirigid ankle braces may ultimately be beneficial to a multitude of high-risk military activities, but further research must be conducted to determine possible detrimental performance effects.

Influence of Ankle Braces on the Prevalence of Ankle Inversion Injuries in the Swiss Volleyball National League A

Ankle inversion is a common injury among volleyball players. The injury rate during a game is 2.1 times higher than during training. As a result, the preventive use of ankle braces is frequently observed in Swiss volleyball leagues. Studies have shown that ankle braces have a preventive effect on the prevalence of ankle inversion. In Switzerland there has been no investigation into the preventive use of braces and their influence on prevalence. For this reason, the goals of this study are 1) to determine when, why and by whom ankle braces are worn and 2) to evaluate the injury rate of users and non-users of ankle braces. A modified questionnaire was sent to 18 men's and women's teams of the Swiss National League A. The questionnaire included questions about injury rates and the circumstances of ankle inversion injuries. The data were statistically analysed with Microsoft Excel 2012 and SPSS Version 20. The overall response rate was 61 %, allowing data from 181 players to be analysed. 33 % (59 of 181) of the players used an ankle brace. There was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of ankle inversion between users (12 injured) and non-users (8 injured) (p = 0.006). Wearing an ankle brace during training or during a game made no difference in the prevention of injuries (p = 0.356). More athletes were injured during training (n = 13) than during a game (n = 7). The results of the present study indicate that volleyball players preferably wear ankle braces to prevent injury. More than one third of the players in the study wore an ankle brace, 60 % for primary prevention and 40 % for secondary prevention due to a previous injury. The study shows that significantly more users than non-users of ankle braces were injured. This is contrary to literature. Furthermore it was shown that more injuries occur during training than during a game. This finding results from the fact that ankle braces were rarely worn during training. It is concluded that ankle braces must be worn consistently, especially during training.

Effect of Prophylactic Ankle-Brace Use During a High School Competitive Basketball Season on Dynamic Postural Control.

Few studies have evaluated the long-term effects of prophylactic ankle-brace use during a sport season. To determine the effects of prophylactic ankle-brace use during a high school basketball season on dynamic postural control and functional tests. Prospective repeated-measures design. High school athletic facility. 21 healthy high school basketball athletes (13 girls, 8 boys). The order of testing was randomized using the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) for posteromedial (PM), medial (M), and anteromedial (AM) directions and 3 functional tests (FT) consisting of the single-leg crossover hop, single-leg vertical jump, and the single-leg 6-m hop for time at pre-, mid-, and postseason. After pretesting, the ankle brace was worn on both limbs during the entire 16-wk competitive basketball season. SEBT for PM, M, and AM and 3 single-leg FTs. Dynamic postural control using the SEBT and the 3 FTs improved over time, notably from pretest to posttest. The left limb was different from the right limb during the single-leg vertical jump. Effect sizes were large for pretest to posttest for the 3 SEBT directions and 2 of the 3 FTs. The 16-wk basketball prophylactic ankle-brace intervention significantly improved dynamic postural control and single-limb FTs over time.

Clinician Recommendations and Perceptions of Factors Associated With Ankle Brace Use.

Background:Little information is available regarding the ankle braces orthopaedic sports medicine clinicians recommend or clinicians’ concerns that may influence their decisions to recommend use of an ankle brace.Hypotheses:(1) Clinicians most frequently recommend lace-up braces with straps. (2) Clinicians who are concerned about potential adverse side effects from ankle brace use are less likely to recommend an ankle brace to prevent ankle sprain injuries.Study Design:Descriptive survey study.Level of Evidence:Level 3.Methods:Surveys were sent via e-mail to 1000 randomly selected members of the Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and 1000 randomly selected members of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA). A total of 377 individuals responded to the survey.Results:Lace-up braces, specifically lace-up braces with straps, were the most frequently recommended type of ankle brace. Regression analyses indicated that the only perceived adverse side effect significantly related to frequency of ankle brace recommendation was a potential negative influence on ankle strength.Conclusion:Based on our sample, clinicians recommend lace-up ankle braces with straps most frequently to prevent ankle sprain injuries. Clinicians who are concerned about weakness of ankle musculature may be less likely to recommend use of an ankle brace.Clinical Relevance:Clinicians may effectively reduce the number of ankle sprain injuries by recommending an ankle brace use after an initial ankle sprain injury.

Effect of Prophylactic Ankle-Brace Use During a High School Competitive Basketball Season on Dynamic Postural Control.

Few studies have evaluated the long-term effects of prophylactic ankle-brace use during a sport season. To determine the effects of prophylactic ankle-brace use during a high school basketball season on dynamic postural control and functional tests. Prospective repeated-measures design. High school athletic facility. 21 healthy high school basketball athletes (13 girls, 8 boys). The order of testing was randomized using the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) for posteromedial (PM), medial (M), and anteromedial (AM) directions and 3 functional tests (FT) consisting of the single-leg crossover hop, single-leg vertical jump, and the single-leg 6-m hop for time at pre-, mid-, and postseason. After pretesting, the ankle brace was worn on both limbs during the entire 16-wk competitive basketball season. SEBT for PM, M, and AM and 3 single-leg FTs. Dynamic postural control using the SEBT and the 3 FTs improved over time, notably from pretest to posttest. The left limb was different from the right limb during the single-leg vertical jump. Effect sizes were large for pretest to posttest for the 3 SEBT directions and 2 of the 3 FTs. The 16-wk basketball prophylactic ankle-brace intervention significantly improved dynamic postural control and single-limb FTs over time.

Clinician Recommendations and Perceptions of Factors Associated With Ankle Brace Use

Clinician Recommendations and Perceptions of Factors Associated With Ankle Brace Use

THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF INJURIES IN CONTACT FLAG FOOTBALL

BackgroundAmerican Flag football (AFF) is a version of American Football that has become very popular worldwide, but lacks high quality research into the epidemiology of injuries.ObjectiveTo characterize the epidemiology of...

The Epidemiology of Injuries in Contact Flag Football

To characterize the epidemiology of injuries in post-high school male and female athletes in the rapidly growing international sport of contact flag football. Prospective injury-observational study. Kraft Stadium, Jerusalem, Israel. A total of 1492 players, consisting of men (n = 1252, mean age, 20.49 ± 5.11) and women (n = 240, mean age, 21.32 ± 8.95 years), participated in 1028 games over a 2-season period (2007-2009). All time-loss injuries sustained in game sessions were recorded by the off-the-field medical personnel and followed up by a more detailed phone injury surveillance questionnaire. One hundred sixty-three injuries were reported, comprising 1 533 776 athletic exposures (AEs). The incidence rate was 0.11 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.09-0.12] per 1000 AEs, and incidence proportion was 10.66% (95% CI, 9.10-12.22). Seventy-six percent of the injuries were extrinsic in nature. Thirty percent of the injuries were to the fingers, thumb, and wrist, 17% to the knee, 17% to the head/face, 13% to the ankle, and 11% to the shoulder. Contact flag football results in a significant amount of moderate to severe injuries. These data may be used in the development of a formal American flag football injury database and in the development and implementation of a high-quality, randomized, prospective injury prevention study. This study should include the enforcement of the no-pocket rule, appropriate headgear, self-fitting mouth guards, the use of ankle braces, and changing the blocking rules of the game.

The Effect of a Knee-ankle Restraint on ACL Injury Risk Reduction during Jump-landing

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most commonly injured ligament. It has a great impact on athletes causing long absence from play and is linked with increased risks of osteoarthritis. Today, literature suggests that the knee braces may not completely reduce ACL injury mechanism risks. Ankle braces, on the other hand, have shown promising results in some of these aspects. Thus, the purpose of this research is to study the effectiveness of a knee- ankle brace restraint in reducing ACL injury risks by increasing knee flexion and reducing knee valgus angles. Eighteen healthy Asian male subjects performed a drop vertical jump maneuver from a 31cm platform. A motion analysis capture was carried out to measure the knee flexion and knee valgus angles. Results show that the effect of a knee-ankle brace restraint was insignificant in increasing knee flexion and in reducing knee valgus angles at initial contact and at peak vertical ground reaction force (VGRF). While the ankle brace showed some trends of increasing knee flexion angles at initial contact, the effect was insignificant. Similarly, the ankle brace did not show significant effects on knee flexion angles at peak VGRF and on knee valgus angles at both instances. The knee brace had little effect on knee flexion angles but showed significant effects on valgus angle increase. In conclusion, a knee-ankle brace restraint was not found to have an effect on reducing ACL injury risks during jump-landing. Ankle brace use did not adversely increase ACL injury risks but has shown weak effects in reducing the risks. The knee brace used in this study was not found to be suitable for reducing valgus angles.

Impact of Ankle Bracing on Skill Performance in Recreational Soccer Players

To determine the effect of ankle braces on kicking accuracy, speed, and agility in competitive, nonelite soccer players. We hypothesized that the use of ankle bracing would significantly decrease performance in soccer-specific drills immediately after use but not after acclimation to the brace. A prospective randomized controlled trial. University. Twenty healthy recreational adult soccer players (5 men and 15 women; mean age, 23 ± 4.8 years) without a history of lower extremity injury in the past 6 months. All the subjects completed the study. The subjects completed a set of performance measures (ie, accuracy shooting at a target, 40-yard dash, S180° run, and T test) with an McDavid 199 Lightweight ankle brace (test subjects) and without an ankle brace (control subjects) during 2 testing sessions spaced 7-10 days apart. Between the 2 testing sessions, the subjects wore the ankle brace on at least 4 occasions while participating in athletic activities to ensure that a learning effect occurred. Outcomes included kicking accuracy (accuracy shooting at a target) and speed and agility (time to complete a 40-yard dash, S180° run, and T test). No significant difference in performance was found for the accuracy in shooting at a target, 40-yard dash, S180° run, and T test (P > .05) with and without an ankle brace during a session and between sessions. Ankle braces did not significantly affect performance in speed, agility, or kicking accuracy in healthy, competitive, recreational soccer athletes.

Demystifying Preventive Equipment in the Competitive Athlete

Sports-related injuries are rising as the interest and participation in sports rise. Recent epidemiologic study suggested that one in five injuries in individuals 18 years or younger reporting to the emergency department were found to be sports related. These injuries also were found to account for up to 19% of primary care injury-related visits. In this article, we will be reviewing the use of five different types of sports protective equipment (ankle support, knee support, mouthguards, eyeguards, and helmets) and the protection provided by each with level of current evidence. We found that the literature supports the use of ankle braces and mouthguards in athletes. The use of knee braces and eye protection in some athletes is indicated. Helmets to prevent head injuries are supported, but it is uncertain if that extends to concussion prevention. Soccer headgear is not supported and needs randomized control studies to show benefit.

Prophylactic Ankle Brace Use in High School Volleyball Players: A Prospective Study

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of prophylactic ankle bracing on the incidence of ankle injuries in a high school population of interscholastic volleyball players followed prospectively for one season. The study was designed to evaluate the effect of different types of ankle braces on the incidence of ankle sprains in high school volleyball players. There were 957 players in the group that wore braces and 42 in the control group who did not wear a brace. Information was collected on age, sex, previous injury, incidence of injury, and time off from play. Only the dominant ankle was studied. Overall, the use of a prophylactic ankle brace did not significantly alter the incidence of ankle sprains in high school volleyball players. However, in players without a previous ankle sprain, the use of an ankle brace did make a significant difference in two of the braced groups. The Active Ankle Trainer II and the Aircast Sports Stirrup protected volleyball players from a sprain only if they had not had a previous sprain. If the player had a history of a previous ankle sprain, these two brace groups did not protect the ankle from another ankle sprain (p < 0.05). In addition, there were significantly more injuries in the female group of players who wore a non-rigid brace versus those who wore a more rigid brace. This information may be helpful in deciding whether to recommend prophylactic ankle braces in volleyball players.

A systematic review on the effectiveness of external ankle supports in the prevention of inversion ankle sprains among elite and recreational players

Epidemiological studies have shown that 10–28% of all sports injuries are ankle sprains, leading to the longest absence from athletic activity compared to other types of injuries. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of external ankle supports in the prevention of inversion ankle sprains and identify which type of ankle support was superior to the other. A search strategy was developed, using the keywords, ankle supports, ankle brace, ankle tapes, ankle sprains and athletes, to identify available literature in the databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, etc.), libraries and unpublished papers. Trials which consider adolescents and adults, elite and recreational players as participants were the study of choice. External ankle supports comprise ankle tape, brace or orthosis applied to the ankle to prevent ankle sprains. The main outcome measures were frequency of ankle sprains. Two reviewers assessed the quality of the studies included using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI Appraisal tool). Whenever possible, results were statistically pooled and interpreted. A total of seven trials were finally included in this study. The studies included were of moderate quality, with blinding as the hardest criteria to fulfill. The main significant finding was the reduction of ankle sprain by 69% (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.18–0.51) with the use of ankle brace and reduction of ankle sprain by 71% (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.14–0.57) with the use of ankle tape among previously injured athletes. No type of ankle support was found to be superior than the other.

MILITARY STATIC LINE PARACHUTE INJURIES IN AN AUSTRALIAN COMMANDO BATTALION

The objective of this study was to define the casualty rates and anatomical distribution of injuries associated with military static line parachute (MSLP) descents conducted by an Australian Army Commando Battalion. This study was conducted to identify the strategies to reduce the injury burden related to MSLP activities. A retrospective audit of injuries resulting from MSLP descents conducted by 4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (4 RAR) over a 13-month period. A total of 554 MSLP descents over the time period were reviewed. The overall casualty rate was 5.1%. For MSLP descents onto land drop zones, the incidence of injury requiring hospital admission was 2.6%. Paratrooper bodyweight was associated with increased risk of injury (P = 0.04) and hospital admission (P = 0.003), particularly when conducting descents onto land drop zones. MSLP descents conducted onto land were associated with a higher incidence of casualties when compared with those conducted into water drop zones (P = 0.001). During the period from February 2004 until February 2005, 4 RAR (Commando) experienced higher casualty rates during MSLP descents than expected when compared with the published report. Strategies to decrease the casualty rate of MSLP descents onto land drop zones may include more extensive ground training, increased frequency of MSLP descents, use of ankle braces and the development of purpose built drop zones. Consideration should be given to establishing a maximum bodyweight threshold for the conduct of MSLP activities or acquiring parachutes with decreased descent velocity for larger paratroopers.