How To Choose The Right Ankle Brace For Your Sports Injury

Ankle braces are a primary member in the field of medical science known as orthotics. Humans have used devices such as splints to stabilize and protect injuries for over 3,500 years, with the modern rendition of ankle braces being invented in the late 1800s. Today, they remain the best method for supplementing therapy in order to achieve the most effective and efficient means of recovery from sports injuries.

If you or someone you know was recently impacted by a sports injury, here are our tips on choosing the right ankle brace for your needs.

Importance of Ankle Braces

Ankle braces are used for a variety of conditions as well as different severities of sports injuries. Their primary benefit is that they offer a high level of protection while immobilizing the ankle - this provides support for recently injured ankles to be able to recover to the best possible degree and even help prevent future injuries from occurring in the first place.

Ankle braces are commonly used for the following conditions:

• Arthritis
• Traumatic injuries of the foot and ankle (sprained ankle, torn Achilles)
• Ligament laxity
• Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
• Instability when standing

Benefits of ankle braces include:

• Allow early return to work and sports
• Reduce swelling
• Improve healing
• Prevent further injury

Types of Ankle Braces and Supports

There are a wide variety of ankle braces on the market that are more helpful than others depending on the specific injury, the phase of recovery, and what post-recovery activity looks like.

For now, we will start by discussing the three basic types of ankle braces.

Ankle Supports

Traditionally, lightweight ankle braces and supports have been made from neoprene and elastic materials. These types of braces provide basic support and compression for muscles and joints due to their elastic features, but they do not often provide firm support for high levels of protection, especially, for example, from lateral movements. Ankle supports often do not allow for adjustable support or compression, but they are usually easily applied (like sliding on a sock) and they tend to be slimmer allowing freer movement (which can be a positive or negative feature depending on your situation).

Ankle Braces

Ankle braces are designed to have a higher level of protection than ankle supports. Braces are often thicker, more stable, and adjustable (via straps and laces). Furthermore, ankle braces come in a variety of specialist designs such as Achilles tendon straps and Posterior tibial tendon displacement braces that allow precision support and protection for various injuries.

The biggest advantage of ankle braces are their high stability and protection, especially from lateral or sideways movements, while also being generally small and thus still able to be used during sports.

Boots

Boots also act as a form of brace but are used to treat more severe injuries such as fractures in the ankle and foot. They incorporate a hard shell that covers the entire foot, ankle, and calf up to the knee.

Boots give the highest amount of support and protection, and they are often adjustable with straps and air compression pumps.

Tips on Choosing the Right Brace

The question of course becomes, which is the best type of support for my support injury?

There are three main things to consider:

• Type of injury
• Level of support needed
• Fit and design of brace

Usually, the type of injury will primarily determine the brace that’s right for you. The more the severe the injury, the more support and protection you’ll need. A bone fracture or tendon tear, for example, will require the highest level of support where there is little to no unwanted movement at all. In this case, a boot will be the best choice. On the other hand, an ankle sprain or strain will only require something like an ankle brace or support.

The second and third points to consider tend to go hand in hand and often reflect the type of activity you hope to do while using your brace. Beyond the type of injury, required support may vary depending on certain conditions such as whether or not you intend to start participating in physical therapy or even a return to sports. A boot will not be practical to play sports in and an ankle support does not provide protection against lateral movement that often occurs during play, so an ankle brace is the right choice here. Also, the fit and design will have an impact on your decision in a similar way. If you intend to start playing sports again, you need a brace that will work with your other sports equipment - so a brace or support that can, for example, fit into a soccer sock, cleats, and shinguards, will be a priority.

As a final point, your needs change depending on your phase of recovery. After the initial injury, a higher amount of protection and support is necessary to ensure there is no further damage and the healing process can begin. As you begin to heal, less support is required and thus a smaller brace is necessary. Eventually, you will recover from your injury and an elastic or neoprene ankle support is helpful to prevent future or reoccuring injuries, giving you peace of mind and maximum range of motion to perform your best.

Expert Suppliers of Ankle Braces

Ankle braces are a proven method to ensure proper recovery from sports injuries. By providing optimal support and protection, you can get back in the game as fast as possible and perform better than ever before without the worry of another injury or return into therapy.

If you or someone you know is dealing with a sports injury, make sure to choose the best brace for their needs. Contact the expert suppliers at Medcom Group to get help and information right away!

Disclaimer

This guide is intended as a general informational resource for medical professionals, not as a substitute for professional medical advice or consultation. The content provided here cannot cover all possible scenarios related to ankle braces and their usage. Always consult and adhere to manufacturer guidelines, and don't hesitate to consult with a medical equipment specialist if any queries or complexities arise.

While our team strives to provide accurate and up-to-date information, the medcom group®, ltd., does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information presented. The use of information derived from this guide is at the user’s own risk. Any reliance on the information is therefore solely at the user's own risk.

The medcom group®, ltd., its affiliates, and employees are not responsible or liable for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis, drug and device application, or other information, services, or products that you obtain through this guide. This disclaimer of liability applies to any damages or injury, whether based on alleged breach of contract, tortious behavior, negligence, or any other cause of action, resulting from or in any way connected with the information provided in this guide.

Always consult with your healthcare professional or other qualified healthcare provider if you have any questions about a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read in this guide.