A lateral ankle sprain during a lateral backward step in badminton: A case report of a televised injury incident

• Published in: Journal of sport and health science 2023-01, Vol.12 (1), p.139-144
• Main Authors: Fong, Daniel T.P., Mok, Kam-Ming, Thompson, Isobel M., Wang, Yuehang, Shan, Wei, King, Mark A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ankle; Ankle Injuries; Ankle Joint; Biomechanics; Case Study; Humans; Injury prevention; Ligament injuries; Lower Extremity; Racquet Sports; Sports medicine; Sprains and Strains
• ISSN: 2095-2546; 2213-2961
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2021.03.007

This study presents a kinematic analysis of an acute lateral ankle sprain incurred during a televised badminton match. The kinematics of this injury were compared to those of 19 previously reported cases in the published literature. Four camera views of an acute lateral ankle sprain incurred during a televised badminton match were synchronized and rendered in 3-dimensional animation software. A badminton court with known dimensions was built in a virtual environment, and a skeletal model scaled to the injured athlete's height was used for skeletal matching. The ankle joint angle and angular velocity profiles of this acute injury were compared to the summarized findings from 19 previously reported cases in the published literature. At foot strike, the ankle joint was 2° everted, 33° plantarflexed, and 18° internally rotated. Maximum inversion of 114° and internal rotation of 69° was achieved at 0.24 s and 0.20 s after foot strike, respectively. After the foot strike, the ankle joint moved from an initial position of plantarflexion to dorsiflexion—from 33° plantarflexion to 53° dorsiflexion (range = 86°). Maximum inversion, dorsiflexion, and internal rotation angular velocity were 1262°/s, 961°/s, and 677°/s, respectively, at 0.12 s after foot strike. A forefoot landing posture with a plantarflexed and internally rotated ankle joint configuration could incite an acute lateral ankle sprain injury in badminton. Prevention of lateral ankle sprains in badminton should focus on the control and stability of the ankle joint angle during forefoot landings, especially when the athletes perform a combined lateral and backward step. [Display omitted] •When an athlete performs a lateral and backward step, the forefoot landing posture can result in a plantarflexed and internally rotated ankle joint configuration.•The forefoot landing increases the moment arm among the subtalar joint and results in an explosive inversion torque, causing the inversion sprain injury.•At foot strike, the ankle joint was 2° everted, 33° plantarflexed, and 18° internally rotated. The maximum inversion of 114° and internal rotation of 69° was achieved at 0.24 and 0.20 seconds after foot strike, respectively.