Effectiveness of an outside-the-boot ankle brace in reducing parachuting related ankle injuries

• Published in: Injury prevention 2005-06, Vol.11 (3), p.163-168
• Main Authors: Schmidt, M D, Sulsky, S I, Amoroso, P J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Ankle; Ankle Injuries - epidemiology; Ankle Injuries - prevention & control; Aviation; Braces - standards; Clinical Modification; Cohort Studies; Defense Manpower Data Center; DMDC; Ethnicity; evaluation studies; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; ICD-9-CM; Individual Patient Data System; Injuries; International Classification of Diseases; IPDS; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Military Personnel; Ninth Revision; Original; PAB; parachute ankle brace; Parachuting; Protective Devices; Regression analysis; Risk reduction; risks and benefits; Students; TAIHOD; Total Army Injury and Health Outcomes Database; Training; United States - epidemiology
• ISSN: 1353-8047; 1475-5785
• DOI: 10.1136/ip.2004.006304

Objectives: To examine the efficacy of an outside-the-boot parachute ankle brace (PAB) in reducing risk of ankle injury to army paratrooper trainees and to identify inadvertent risks associated with PAB use. Design: The authors compared hospitalization rates for ankle, musculoskeletal, and other traumatic injury among 223 172 soldiers trained 1985–2002 in time periods defined by presence/absence of PAB use protocols. Multiple logistic regression analysis estimated adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals for injury outcomes, comparing pre and post brace periods to the brace protocol period. Setting: A research database consisting of training rosters from the US Army Airborne training facility (Fort Benning, GA) occupational, demographic, and hospitalization information. Main outcome measures: Injuries were considered training related if they occurred during a five week period starting with first scheduled static line parachute jump and a parachuting cause of injury code appeared in the hospital record. Results: Of 939 parachuting related hospitalizations during the defined risk period, 597 (63.6%) included an ankle injury diagnosis, 198 (21.1%) listed a musculoskeletal (non-ankle) injury, and 69 (7.3%) cited injuries to multiple body parts. Risk of ankle injury hospitalization was higher during both pre-brace (adjusted OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.92 to 2.95) and post-brace (adjusted OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.32) periods compared with the brace protocol period. Odds of musculoskeletal (non-ankle) injury or injury to multiple body parts did not change between the brace and post-brace periods. Conclusion: Use of a PAB during airborne training appears to reduce risk of ankle injury without increasing risk of other types of traumatic injury.