The presence of persistent symptoms 12 months following a first lateral ankle sprain: A systematic review and meta-analysis

•The occurrence of remaining symptoms at 12 months is much lower in the current analysis than in previous studies.•Earlier reports of high occurrence of remaining symptoms may be explained by inclusion of patients with previous injuries or lower study quality.•This study demonstrates that symptoms continue to decrease between 6 and 12 months.•The decrease of symptoms between 6 and 12 months should be used to improve treatment strategies and restrict from surgery in certain patients.