Jason reported two broken ankles at BD2003. There were probably sprains suffered as well, but only serious enough to result in limping through airports.
Most everybody probably knows this, but I felt a need to state that there do exist personal and commercial prevention measures to decrease susceptability to ankle injuries.
The obvious personal preventions are ankle strengthing exercises plus frequent stretching in order to obtain maximum flexibility.
Commercially, there are practical, easy to wear braces in the market place. It is doubtful, I strongly feel, as a result of being part of a military study team at one time, that any sort of hightop, hiking boot will prevent either inversion, eversion or rotation ankle injuries when a crash occurs without a successful PLF.
Since and during WW II the Army Airborne has used calf-high "jump boots" and continues to do so. However it was determined that even this expensive boot was not the solution. After the Korean war, when velcro came into use, the Airborne School at Ft. Benning, GA developed a step-in, shin high, ankle brace worn outside of the boot which was secured to the leg by two velcro straps. Upon landing the paratrooper could quickly whip off the brace and run to the designated assembly area. This unique brace, combined with strength and flexibility exercises, greatly reduced the number of ankle injuries in the field. Improved cushioning in the boot, from heel to toe, also just about eliminated smashed heels, even when wearing as much as 100# of equipment.
I now wear, when jumping into knarly, rocky DZ's such as at Bridge Day, a "McDavid", Ultra brace. This brace fits inside my Air-Nike running shoe. This brace protects the ankle but not the shin bone. The brace is used by many professional athletes, especially pro and college football players.
There is also on the market, a brace similar to the Military brace but which fits inside the shoe. It is the "GEL" ankle brace.It protects the shin bone as well as the ankle from those three ugly injuries: inversion, eversion and rotation.
You can type in "McDavid" or "Gel" in search if you want the details and photos.
Whatever brace you wear, if any, may you walk away from every landing.
Jim Guyer, 719