Patient Education
Common Athletic Ankle Injuries
I'm 17 years old (a girl) and very athletic. I made it through high school injury-free. I know girls are more likely to injure their ACLs. Are there other injuries we should watch out for?
Yes -- ankle sprains. According to a recent study from the University of Vermont high school and college female athletes are more likely to sprain their ankles compared with men in the same sport.
Other sports were also studied including soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey. First-time ankle sprains occurred about once in every 1000 days of play (practice and games).
Researchers are trying to identify risk factors to help athletes avoid such injuries. More studies are needed before specific recommendations can be made.
Bruce D. Beynnon, PhD, et al. First-Time Inversion Ankle Ligament Trauma. The Effects of Sex, Level of Competition, and Sport on the Incidence of Injury. In American Journal of Sports Medicine. October 2005. Vol. 33. No. 10. Pp. 1485-1491.