Compression stockings in ankle sprain: a multicenter randomized study

Abstract Objectives Ankle sprain is a frequently encountered traumatic injury in emergency departments and is associated with important health expenses. However, the appropriate care of this traumatic injury remains a matter of debate. We tested the hypothesis that compression stockings speed up recovery from ankle sprain. Methods Recent ( Results We randomized 126 patients and analyzed 117 patients (60 in the placebo group and 57 in the compression group). The median time to normal painless walking was not significantly decreased ( P = .16). No significant differences were observed in pain, analgesic consumption, and bimalleloar and midfoot circumferences. No safety issue was reported. In the subgroup of patients with regular sport activity, the time to return to sport activity was shorter in patients treated with compression stockings ( P = .02). Conclusions Compression stockings failed to significantly modify the time to return to normal painless walking in ankle sprain. A beneficial effect was observed only in a subgroup of patients, as compression stockings significantly decreased the time to return to sport activity.