009 - The Reality of Military Ankle Sprains: High Risk, High Cost, and a Readiness Killer
Ankle Sprains Aren’t Just Minor Injuries—They Have Long-Term Consequences
44.1% recurrence rate—almost half of all cases developed chronic ankle instability (CAI).
22.8% involved fractures, increasing the likelihood of surgery by 2–4 times.
Unspecified sprains made up 68.4% of cases, highlighting the lack of proper diagnosis and treatment.
Rehab is Delayed—And It’s Costing Soldiers & The Mission
Only 41.9% of cases received rehabilitation.
Average delay before rehab started? 72.6 days. That’s two months of lost progress before recovery even begins.
Prolonged recovery = higher costs, longer limited duty assignments, and increased risk of re-injury.
Tactical Fixes: Reduce Recurrence, Optimize Recovery, Improve Readiness
(1) Prioritize Early Rehab to Prevent Long-Term Damage
Rehab within 30 days post-injury = faster recovery + reduced CAI risk.
Balance training & functional movement drills to prevent re-injury.
Ensure personnel regain full strength and mobility before returning to high-risk tasks.
(2) Use Prophylactic Bracing for High-Risk Individuals
Bracing reduces recurrence rates—especially in the first year post-injury.
Investing in braces now saves on long-term medical costs and lost duty time.
Educate service members on proper brace use during high-impact activities.
(3) Screen & Triage More Effectively
Early imaging & functional testing to flag high-risk cases needing more aggressive intervention.
Standardized return-to-duty protocols to ensure full recovery, not just pain-free movement.
Train smarter to reduce the risk of first-time and recurrent ankle injuries.
Thick Necks, Strong Ankles, No Weak Links
Rehab fast, brace smart, and train to prevent—not just react
The goal isn’t just returning to duty—it’s staying there
A thick neck and weak ankles don’t belong in the same body
Fix the foundation
Stay Thick.
Rhon DI, Greenlee TA, Cook CE, Westrick RB, Umlauf JA, Fraser JJ. Fractures and Chronic Recurrence are Commonly Associated with Ankle Sprains: a 5-year Population-level Cohort of Patients Seen in the U.S. Military Health System. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2021;16(5):1313-1322. Published 2021 Oct 1. doi:10.26603/001c.27912