OBJECTIVES: Sport related injuries are of public health importance and generates a considerable economic burden. The aim of our study was to calculate the annual health insurance treatment cost of injury of muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level in Hungary.

METHODS: The data were derived from the financial database of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration (NHIFA), the only health care financing agency in Hungary. We analyzed the number of patients and the health insurance treatment cost for the year 2016. The following cost categories were included into the study: out-patient care, laboratory diagnostics, medical imaging, acute in-patient care, chronic in-patient care and drugs. Patients with injury of muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level were identified with the following codes of the International Classification of Diseases 10^th revision: S96.

RESULTS: The number of patient underwent outpatient care was 1,231 (45.1% women and 54.9% men) with a mean age of 36.90 years (women: 38.95 years; men: 35.22 years). Number of patients admitted to in-patient hospital care was 67 (37.5% women and 62.5% men) with a mean age of 44.14 years (women: 42.00 years; men: 45.43 years). For the treatment of patients with injury of muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level in 2016 the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration spent 11.27 million Hungarian Forint (HUF) which equals 40,049 American Dollars (USD) or 43,418 million Japanese Yen (JPY). Major cost drivers were acute inpatient care (44.7% of total health insurance costs). out-patient care (43.4%) and laboratory diagnostics (5.6%).

CONCLUSIONS: Injury of muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level represents a small burden for the Hungarian health insurance system. The disease is equally common in men than women. There is a significant difference (3-4 years) in the onset of the disease between women and men.