HIGH-TOP VERSUS LOW-TOP SHOES FOR THE PREVENTION OF ANKLE SPRAINS IN BASKETBALL PLAYERS - A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED STUDY

Using a prospective, randomized experimental design, 622 college intra mural basketball players were stratified by a previous history of ankl e sprains to wear a new pair of either high-top, high-top with inflata ble air chambers, or low-top basketball shoes during all games for a c omplete season. Subjects were asked to complete a history questionnair e and were given a complete ankle examination. They were allowed to we ar these shoes only during basketball competition. Followed over the c ourse of a 2-month intramural season, 15 ankle injuries occurred durin g 39,302 minutes of player-time: 7 in high-top shoes, 4 in low-top sho es, and 4 in high-top shoes with inflatable air chambers. The injury r ates (injuries per player-minute) were 4.80 x 10(-4) in high-top shoes , 4.06 x 10(-4) in low-top shoes, and 2.69 x 10(-4) in high-top shoes with inflatable air chambers. There was no significant difference amon g these 3 groups, leading to the conclusion that there is no strong re lationship between shoe type and ankle sprains.