Ankle injuries are among the most common injuries in sports, with some sports being more prone to these injuries than others.
Here's a breakdown of the sports with the highest incidence of ankle injuries, along with relevant statistics and a graph for visual representation.
Sports with the Highest Ankle Injury Rates
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Basketball: Ankle injuries, particularly lateral ankle sprains, are the most common injuries in basketball. According to a 17-year study on injuries in the NBA, lateral ankle sprains accounted for 13.2% of all injuries, with an incidence rate of 3.4 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures.
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Football (Soccer): In professional football, ankle sprains are the most common foul play injuries, accounting for 15% of all injuries. A study on injuries in professional football over seven seasons found that ankle injuries accounted for 14% of all injuries.
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Volleyball: A study on injuries in collegiate volleyball players found that ankle sprains were the most common injury, accounting for 36.4% of all injuries.
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Rugby: Ankle sprains and ligament injuries are common in rugby, with a study reporting that ankle injuries accounted for 11.4% of all injuries in professional rugby players.
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Gymnastics: Due to the high impact and landing forces involved, ankle sprains are a common injury in gymnastics. A study reported that ankle sprains accounted for 15.9% of all injuries in collegiate gymnasts.
- Cheerleading: Ankle sprains are the most common injury in cheerleading, with a study reporting that they accounted for 25.2% of all injuries in collegiate cheerleaders.
Here's a graph illustrating the percentage of ankle injuries in different sports:
It's important to note that these statistics may vary across different studies and levels of competition. However, the data clearly shows that ankle injuries, particularly sprains, are a significant concern in many sports, especially those involving jumping, landing, and rapid changes in direction.
But we can't just stop participating in these type of sports - they are fun, competitive, and bring amazing benefits. Sometimes accidents happen, and if you do get injured - we can help.