METHODS

Design:

randomised controlled trial.

Allocation:

{allocation concealed}*.†

Blinding:

{unblinded}*.†

Follow up period:

21 days or until recovery.

Setting:

sports medicine clinic at the University of Vermont, USA.

Patients:

212 patients 16–61 years of age without congenital or degenerative conditions and presenting to the sports medicine clinic within 72 hours of an initial ankle injury. Patients were classified by severity of ankle injury—grade 1 (n = 64), 2 (n = 116), or 3 (n = 32) —and then randomised to treatment groups. Exclusion criteria were abnormal gait before injury, previous ankle sprain, current or previous ankle fracture, syndesmosis injury, burns, lacerations, puncture wounds, open tibial epiphyses, chronic illness, metabolic or neurological disease, pregnancy, or unwillingness …