Comparison of 3 Methods of External Support for Management of Acute Lateral Ankle Sprains

Objective: To examine the efficacy of 3 different types of injury support systems (standard elastic wrap with horseshoe, Aircast Sport Stirrup, and Omni Multiphase orthosis) used in treating acute inversion ankle sprains. Subjects: We recruited 30 physically active college-aged subjects who had sustained a grade 1+ or 2 lateral ankle sprain within the previous 24 hours for the study. Design and Setting: Subjects were randomly placed into one of 3 groups, the first treated with standard elastic wrap with horseshoe, the second with an Aircast Sport Stirrup, and the third with an Omni Multiphase orthosis. Subjects reported to the athletic training room on days 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 postinjury. Measurements: We assessed subjects for ankle volume, functional performance, and self-perception of symptoms during the 5 postinjury assessments. Results: We found no significant differences among the 3 groups on measures of volume, level of function, and self-perception of symptoms. Conclusions: Our results suggest that none of these methods is superior to the others for reducing swelling, restoring function, or relieving symptoms during the acute management of lateral ankle sprains.