Around 30% to 50% of musculoskeletal (tendon/muscle/bone) injuries presenting to physicians are tendon and ligament injuries.[2]Maffulli N, Wong J, Almekinders LC. Types and epidemiology of tendinopathy. Clin Sports Med. 2003;22:675-692.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14560540?tool=bestpractice.com
Among those injuries, acute ankle injury is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries in athletes and sedentary people.[3]Beynnon BD, Renstrom PA, Alosa DM, et al. Ankle ligament injury risk factors: a prospective study of college athletes. J Orthop Res. 2001;19:213-220.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11347693?tool=bestpractice.com
[4]Woods C, Hawkins R, Hulse M, et al. The Football Association Medical Research Programme: an audit of injuries in professional football: an analysis of ankle sprains. Br J Sports Med. 2003;37:233-238.
http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/37/3/233.long
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12782548?tool=bestpractice.com
It has been estimated that ankle sprain has an incidence rate of 11.6 per 1000 exposures and a prevalence of 11.9%.[5]van Rijn RM, van Os AG, Bernsen RM, et al. What is the clinical course of acute ankle sprains? A systematic literature review. Am J Med. 2008 Apr;121(4):324-331.e6.
https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2007.11.018
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18374692?tool=bestpractice.com
[6]Doherty C, Delahunt E, Caulfield B, et al. The incidence and prevalence of ankle sprain injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective epidemiological studies. Sports Med. 2014 Jan;44(1):123-40.
https://www.doi.org/10.1007/s40279-013-0102-5
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24105612?tool=bestpractice.com
In the US it accounts for an estimated 2 million injuries per year and 20% of all sports injuries.[3]Beynnon BD, Renstrom PA, Alosa DM, et al. Ankle ligament injury risk factors: a prospective study of college athletes. J Orthop Res. 2001;19:213-220.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11347693?tool=bestpractice.com
[4]Woods C, Hawkins R, Hulse M, et al. The Football Association Medical Research Programme: an audit of injuries in professional football: an analysis of ankle sprains. Br J Sports Med. 2003;37:233-238.
http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/37/3/233.long
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12782548?tool=bestpractice.com
[7]Bahr R. Can we prevent ankle sprains? In: MacAuley D, Best TM, eds. Evidence-based sports medicine, 14th ed. London: BMJ, 2002:470.
Approximately half of all ankle sprains occur during athletic activities.[8]Waterman BR, Owens BD, Davey S, et al. The epidemiology of ankle sprains in the United States. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2010 Oct 6;92(13):2279-84.
https://www.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.I.01537
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20926721?tool=bestpractice.com
Incidence of ankle injury and ankle sprain may be higher in court games and team sports.[9]Fong DT, Hong Y, Chan LK, et al. A systematic review on ankle injury and ankle sprain in sports. Sports Med. 2007;37:73-94.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17190537?tool=bestpractice.com
Males aged 15-24 years have a significantly higher incidence of ankle sprain than their female counterparts; females over 30 years had a higher incidence compared with their male counterparts.[8]Waterman BR, Owens BD, Davey S, et al. The epidemiology of ankle sprains in the United States. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2010 Oct 6;92(13):2279-84.
https://www.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.I.01537
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20926721?tool=bestpractice.com