Newman Thomas M, Gay Michael R, Buckley W E
Department of Kinesiology, 146 Recreation Building, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802.
Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, 102A Multi Sport Facility, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802.
Mil Med. 2017 Mar;182(3):e1596-e1602. doi: 10.7205/MILMED-D-16-00160.
Within athletics and the military, ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries with the potential for long-term functional deficits. Incidence rates for ankle sprains within the military are one of the leading causes of limited duty days, especially during basic combat training, parachute training exercises, and in cadet populations. In 2008, the Department of Defense U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine report recommended that military personnel should wear semirigid ankle braces during parachuting, basketball, soccer, and other similar high-risk activities to reduce ankle sprain injuries. This recommendation was developed using a majority of athletic references with limited data stemming from military works. Of these included military studies, none presented data on ankle braces and their effects on performance, especially in military-specific environments. The purpose of this review was to provide an up-to-date account on the use of ankle braces in military populations and effects on performance measures.
A comprehensive online systematic review of the literature was conducted to delineate the current use of ankle braces in the military and how they specifically affect functional performance measures. The scope of this study eliminated military studies that were not prospective in nature or did not incorporate subjects wearing military equipment (i.e., combat boots).
It was determined that little progress has been made in validating the use of semirigid ankle braces in military populations other than in instances such as parachuting and only in reducing the number ankle injuries. To date, only one study has looked specifically at the use of ankle braces and its effects on performance measures in a military sample.
With the high incidence rate and increased risk for subsequent reinjury, ankle sprains are an economic and force readiness burden to the U.S. Armed Forces. This study was conducted to determine whether additional literature was available for the use of ankle braces on performance measures in the military. It was determined that there is a scarcity of information currently available on the use of ankle braces in military populations, outside of parachuting activities. The Department of Defense recommendation of using semirigid ankle braces may ultimately be beneficial to a multitude of high-risk military activities, but further research must be conducted to determine possible detrimental performance effects.
在田径运动和军事领域，踝关节扭伤是最常见的损伤之一，可能导致长期功能缺陷。军队中踝关节扭伤的发生率是限制执勤天数的主要原因之一，尤其是在基础战斗训练、跳伞训练演习以及学员群体中。2008年，美国国防部陆军健康促进与预防医学中心的报告建议，军事人员在跳伞、篮球、足球和其他类似的高风险活动中应佩戴半刚性踝关节护具，以减少踝关节扭伤。该建议主要基于大多数体育参考文献制定，源于军事研究的数据有限。在这些纳入的军事研究中，没有一项提供了关于踝关节护具及其对性能影响的数据，尤其是在特定军事环境中的影响。本综述的目的是提供关于军事人群中踝关节护具使用情况及其对性能指标影响的最新情况。
对文献进行全面的在线系统综述，以描述军事人群中踝关节护具的当前使用情况以及它们如何具体影响功能性能指标。本研究的范围排除了非前瞻性或未纳入穿戴军事装备（即作战靴）受试者的军事研究。
已确定，除了跳伞等情况外，在验证军事人群中使用半刚性踝关节护具的使用方面进展甚微，且仅在减少踝关节损伤数量方面有作用。迄今为止，只有一项研究专门探讨了踝关节护具在军事样本中的使用及其对性能指标的影响。
由于踝关节扭伤的高发生率和后续再次受伤风险增加，它对美国武装部队来说是一种经济负担和影响部队战备状态的因素。本研究旨在确定是否有更多关于军事人群中使用踝关节护具对性能指标影响的文献。已确定，除跳伞活动外，目前关于军事人群中使用踝关节护具的信息匮乏。国防部关于使用半刚性踝关节护具的建议最终可能对多种高风险军事活动有益，但必须进行进一步研究以确定可能的负面性能影响。
