History of ankle sprain as a risk factor of future lateral ankle sprain in athletes.

Despite the attention and focus lateral ankle sprains receive in athletic training practice and research, they remain the most common injury in many sports. Whereas the functional limitations and time loss from lateral ankle sprains are apparent, consistently reducing their incidence is less certain. One important step in preventing lateral ankle sprains is identifying their risk factors. Although previous literature summaries suggest that specific risk factors are inconclusive in predicting lateral ankle sprains, recent literature investigating the predictors of ankle sprains should be included as evidence. Determining the primary risk factors for lateral ankle sprains may lead to good prevention programs, which in turn may decrease time lost because of injury.