Abstract
BACKGROUND: Acute ankle injuries are commonly seen in emergency rooms, with significant social impact and potentially devastating consequences. While several clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) related to ankle injuries have been developed by various organizations, there is a lack of critical appraisal of them. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify and critically appraise evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (EB-CPGs) related to acute ankle injuries in adults. METHOD: We conducted searches in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE databases, WHO, and reviewed 98 worldwide orthopedic association websites up until early 2023. Two authors independently applied the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and each evidence-based clinical practice guideline (EB-CPG) underwent independent critical appraisal of its content by all four authors using the Appraisal of Guidelines for REsearch and Evaluation (AGREE II) instrument. AGREE II scores for each domain were then calculated. RESULTS: This review included five evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. The mean scores for all six domains were as follows: Scope and Purpose (87.8%), Stakeholder Involvement (69.2%), Rigour of Development (72.5%), Clarity of Presentation (86.9%), Applicability (45.6%), and Editorial Independence (53.3%). CONCLUSION: The number of EB-CPGs related to ankle injuries are limited and the overall quality of the existing evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (EB-CPGs) for ankle injuries is not strong, with three of them being outdated. However, valuable guidance related to Ottawa rules, manual therapy, cryotherapy, functional supports, early ambulation, and rehabilitation has been highlighted. Challenges remain in areas such as monitoring and/or auditing criteria, consideration of the target population's views and preferences, and ensuring editorial independence. Future guidelines should prioritize improvements in these domains to enhance the quality and relevance of ankle injury management. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW: Systematic review.