Purpose: To describe the mechanisms, situational patterns, biomechanics and neurocognitive errors related ankle sprain injuries of professional male football players during match play.
Methods: There were 166 consecutive ankle sprain injuries identified occurring during official matches in players of top European football leagues. One hundred and forty (84%) injury videos were analysed for mechanism and situational pattern, with biomechanics on 20 players. Neurocognitive errors were investigated for all noncontact injuries. Three independent reviewers evaluated each video. Ankle sprain injury epidemiology—month, timing within the match and pitch location at the time of injury and time‐loss according to sprain type was also documented.
Results: More injuries occurred in offensive (n = 89, 64%) than defensive (n = 51, 36%) situations (p < 0.001). Seventy (50%) direct contact, 42 (30%) indirect contact and 28 (20%) noncontact injuries were categorised. There were 67 (48%) inversion, 30 (21%) high ankle, 25 (17%) eversion, 6 with combination of high ankle and eversion (4%) and 12 (9%) unsure injuries. Four main situational patterns were described: (i) being tackled (n = 59, 42%); (ii) tackling/pressing (n = 34, 24%); (iii) landing from a jump (n = 16, 11%) and (iv) sliding (n = 7, 5%). Inversion injuries were associated with internal rotation, while high ankle injuries typically involved toe contact with the ground, slight plantar flexion and foot eversion. A neurocognitive error was documented 59% of noncontact injuries. A similar number of injuries occurred during the 1st (n = 71, 51%) and 2nd (n = 69, 49%) half (p > 0.05).
Discussion: Half of ankle sprain injuries occurred after direct contact, 3 in 10 after indirect contact and only 2 in 10 without contact. Injury prevention practices should consider mechanical perturbation, playing situation and neurocognitive factors when designing programmes.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4925-4031, Verhagen, Evert 