CONTEXT: Data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Injury Surveillance Program (ISP) have indicated that ankle injuries are the most common injuries among NCAA soccer players. OBJECTIVE: To review 10 years of NCAA-ISP data for soccer players' ankle injuries to understand how the time period (2004-2005 through 2008-2009 versus 2009-2010 through 2013-2014), anatomical structure injured, and sex of the athlete affected the injury rate, mechanism, and prognosis. DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. SETTING: Online injury surveillance. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The NCAA-ISP was queried for men's and women's soccer ankle data from 2004 to 2014. Ankle-injury rates were calculated on the basis of injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures. Rate ratios (RRs) were used to compare injury rates. Injury proportion ratios (IPRs) were used to compare injury characteristics. RESULTS: When compared with the 2004-2005 through 2008-2009 seasons, the 2009-2010 through 2013-2014 seasons showed a similar rate of injuries (RR = 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.85, 1.04) but fewer days missed (P < .001) and fewer recurrent injuries (IPR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.41, 0.74). The 4 most common ankle injuries, which accounted for 95% of ankle injuries, were lateral ligament complex tears (65.67%), tibiofibular ligament (high ankle) sprains (10.3%), contusions (10.1%), and medial (deltoid) ligament tears (9.77%). Of these injuries, high ankle sprains were most likely to cause athletes to miss ≥30 days (IPR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.24, 2.90). Men and women had similar injury rates (RR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.94, 1.11). Men had more contact injuries (IPR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.16, 1.41) and contusion injuries (IPR = 1.34, CI = 1.03, 1.73) but fewer noncontact injuries (IPR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.78, 0.95) and lateral ligamentous complex injuries (IPR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.86, 0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Although the rate of ankle injuries did not change between the 2004-2005 through 2008-2009 seasons and the 2009-2010 through 2013-2014 seasons, the prognoses improved. Among the 4 most common ankle injuries, high ankle sprains resulted in the worst prognosis. Overall, male and female NCAA soccer players injured their ankles at similar rates; however, men were more likely to sustain contact injuries.
CONTEXT: Data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Injury Surveillance Program (ISP) have indicated that ankle injuries are the most common injuries among NCAA soccer players. OBJECTIVE: To review 10 years of NCAA-ISP data for soccer players' ankle injuries to understand how the time period (2004-2005 through 2008-2009 versus 2009-2010 through 2013-2014), anatomical structure injured, and sex of the athlete affected the injury rate, mechanism, and prognosis. DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. SETTING: Online injury surveillance. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The NCAA-ISP was queried for men's and women's soccer ankle data from 2004 to 2014. Ankle-injury rates were calculated on the basis of injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures. Rate ratios (RRs) were used to compare injury rates. Injury proportion ratios (IPRs) were used to compare injury characteristics. RESULTS: When compared with the 2004-2005 through 2008-2009 seasons, the 2009-2010 through 2013-2014 seasons showed a similar rate of injuries (RR = 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.85, 1.04) but fewer days missed (P < .001) and fewer recurrent injuries (IPR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.41, 0.74). The 4 most common ankle injuries, which accounted for 95% of ankle injuries, were lateral ligament complex tears (65.67%), tibiofibular ligament (high ankle) sprains (10.3%), contusions (10.1%), and medial (deltoid) ligament tears (9.77%). Of these injuries, high ankle sprains were most likely to cause athletes to miss ≥30 days (IPR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.24, 2.90). Men and women had similar injury rates (RR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.94, 1.11). Men had more contact injuries (IPR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.16, 1.41) and contusion injuries (IPR = 1.34, CI = 1.03, 1.73) but fewer noncontact injuries (IPR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.78, 0.95) and lateral ligamentous complex injuries (IPR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.86, 0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Although the rate of ankle injuries did not change between the 2004-2005 through 2008-2009 seasons and the 2009-2010 through 2013-2014 seasons, the prognoses improved. Among the 4 most common ankle injuries, high ankle sprains resulted in the worst prognosis. Overall, male and female NCAA soccer players injured their ankles at similar rates; however, men were more likely to sustain contact injuries.
Entities:
Keywords:
injury characterization; national estimates; soccer
Authors: Evert Verhagen; Allard van der Beek; Jos Twisk; Lex Bouter; Roald Bahr; Willem van Mechelen Journal: Am J Sports Med Date: 2004-07-20 Impact factor: 6.202
Authors: Richard M Danilkowicz; Nicholas B Allen; Nate Grimm; Dana L Nettles; James A Nunley; Mark E Easley; Samuel B Adams Journal: Orthop J Sports Med Date: 2021-10-29