Ankle-GO Score to Identify Elite Basketball Players Who Will Suffer Lateral Ankle Sprain During a Competitive Season: A 1-Year Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Background:

Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is the most common injury in basketball, and identifying at-risk players is of high importance.

Purpose:

To evaluate the ability of the Ankle-GO score to identify elite basketball players who will suffer LAS during a competitive season as well as other potential predictive factors.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

A total of 48 elite basketball players (22 male, 26 female; mean ± SD age, 17.9 ± 3.7 years) performed the Ankle-GO score on both limbs during a preseason session. This score is a cluster of functional tests and self-reported questionnaires evaluating ankle function. LAS incidence was recorded throughout the competitive season for each ankle of the players. Potential predictive variables (Ankle-GO, body mass index, history of previous LAS, and sex) associated with LAS were compared between injured and uninjured athletes. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) and multivariable logistic regression models with odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI were used to identify potential factors of LAS.

Results:

A total of 17 occurrences of LAS occurred during the season. Ankle-GO score was lower among injured ankles (16.9 ± 3.6 points vs 19.6 ± 3.2; P = .004; d = 0.8) and was associated with probability to sustain an LAS (AUC, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.57-0.84; P = .008). Athletes with an Ankle-GO score <19 points and those who suffered an LAS during the previous years were more likely to experience a new LAS on the same ankle (OR, 5.5; 95% CI, 1.6-19.2; P = .007, and OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.1-10.9; P = .03, respectively).

Conclusion:

The Ankle-GO score can help to identify elite basketball players who will suffer LAS during a competitive season.