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Ankle syndesmosis sprains in national hockey league players
Rick W Wright1, Raymond J Barile, David A Surprenant
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. rwwright1@aol.com
Background:
Although syndesmosis sprains are less common in sports than lateral ankle sprains, they represent a significant source of morbidity. Several studies have described the increased recovery time for these injuries in a variety of sports. No previous study has described this injury in hockey players.
Hypothesis:
Syndesmosis ankle sprains require a longer recovery time and are less common than lateral ankle sprains in elite hockey players.
Study Design:
Uncontrolled retrospective review.
Methods:
The medical records of the St Louis Blues (1994-2001) and Dallas Stars (1991-2001) National Hockey League teams were reviewed by the head athletic trainers. Ankle sprains were identified and divided into 2 groups: syndesmosis and lateral sprains. Player demographics, treatment, and time lost to play were recorded for each injury.
Results:
Fourteen players were diagnosed with syndesmosis sprains, and 5 players sustained lateral sprains during this time period. Mean time to return to play in games was 45 days (range, 6-137 days) for syndesmosis sprains versus 1.4 days (range, 0-6 days) for lateral sprains.
Conclusions:
Syndesmosis sprains represent a significant injury in hockey players with an extended time lost and, unlike in other sports, are a more common injury than lateral ankle sprains.
