OBJECTIVES: Traumatological injuries affecting the musculoskeletal system significantly influence quality of life. The aim of our study was to determine the epidemiological disease burden of injuries to the ankle and foot.

METHODS: Data were derived from the financial database of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration (NHIFA), for the year 2018. Data analysed included annual patient numbers, case numbers and prevalence of care utilisation per 100,000 population according to age groups and sex. The following health insurance treatment categories were included into our study: general practice care, home care, in- and outpatient care, medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, drugs and medical aids. Patients with injuries to the ankle and foot were identified with the following code of the International Classification of Diseases 10^th revision: S90-99.

RESULTS: The highest national patient numbers were in outpatient care: 113,948 men and 110,805 women, in total 224,753 patients, followed by general practice care (52,332 men and 45,218 women, in total 97,550 patients), and use of medical aids (13,427 men and 14,851 women, in total 28,278). Based on patient numbers in outpatient care, prevalence in 100,000 among men was 2,439.2 patients, among women 2,169.8 patients, in total 2,298,5. Average age of patients in outpatient care was 36.2 years, there was a significant difference (6.3 years) between men (33.1 years) and women (39.5 years). As regards sex distribution in outpatient care: 50.7% of patients were men, 49.3% were women, in acute inpatient care men accounted for 65.9%, women for 34.1% of patients.

CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of injuries to the ankle and foot was 1.12-times higher among women than among men. Acute inpatient care showed significant differences; prevalence among men was 1.9-times higher. Average age of women was 6.3 years higher than that of men.