Infographic. International Ankle Consortium Rehabilitation-Oriented Assessment

• Published in: British journal of sports medicine 2019-10, Vol.53 (19), p.1248-1249
• Main Authors: Delahunt, Eamonn, Bleakley, Chris M, Bossard, Daniela S, Caulfield, Brian M, Docherty, Carrie L, Doherty, Cailbhe, Fourchet, Francois, Fong, Daniel T P, Hertel, Jay, Hiller, Claire E, Kaminski, Thomas W, McKeon, Patrick O, Refshauge, Kathryn M, Remus, Alexandria, Verhagen, Evert A, Vicenzino, Bill T, Wikstrom, Erik A, Gribble, Phillip A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ankle; Consortia; Epidemiology; Injuries; Patients; Rehabilitation
• ISSN: 0306-3674; 1473-0480
• DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2018-099935

Correspondence to Professor Eamonn Delahunt, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland; [e-mail] Epidemiology of lateral ankle sprains Lateral ankle sprains are one of the most prevalent lower limb musculoskeletal injuries incurred by individuals who participate in recreational physical activities and sports.1 2 Propensity for the development of chronic ankle instability The misconception that acute lateral ankle sprains are innocuous injuries that require little treatment is common across patients and healthcare professionals; indeed, up to 50% of individuals who incur an acute lateral ankle sprain do not seek formal healthcare management for their injury.3 All too often colloquial terms such as a ‘rolled’ ankle or ‘twisted’ ankle are used to describe an acute lateral ankle sprain injury. In reality, acute lateral ankle sprains are rarely ever a ‘simple’ injury.4 This is evidenced by the high propensity for the development of long-term injury-associated symptoms. Individuals who have incurred an acute lateral ankle sprain injury often experience ankle joint instability, regular occurrences of ‘giving way’ of the ankle joint, as well as recurrent sprains during the months and years after their initial injury; these are the characteristic features of chronic ankle instability.5–8 Why it is important to assess both mechanical and functional insufficiencies Chronic ankle instability has been theorised to develop due to the interaction of mechanical and sensorimotor impairments that manifest following acute lateral ankle sprain injury.9 As such, it is logical to assume that clinical assessment should evaluate whether a patient in the acute phase following lateral ankle sprain injury exhibits any mechanical and/or sensorimotor impairments.