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Brace Yourself for More Ankle Bracing Questions



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ankleAnkle sprains are the most common sports-related injury, so athletes and coaches have a high degree of interest in preventing them. In addition to their prevalence, almost three-quarters of athletes with ankle sprains reinjure their ankle. Multiple recurring sprains can lead to chronic ankle instability and end an athletic career.

 

If you are an athlete, should you wear an ankle brace when you compete? Can an ankle brace prevent sprains? Does an ankle brace make an athlete feel more confident and improve performance? The research on this issue appears inconclusive—even before we get to the question of whether a lace-up or semi-rigid ankle brace is better and how ankle braces compare to taping. The confusion arises because ankle bracing has been studied in different sports, using different style braces and on different levels of athletes, some of whom have previously experienced ankle sprains and others who have not. This makes drawing conclusions complicated.

 

Confusion aside, here are the results of some recent studies:

 

·       A study of more than 2,000 high school football players showed that the use of lace-up ankle braces reduced ankle injuries by 61%, but when an injury did occur, braces did not reduce the severity of the sprains.

 

·       A study of almost 1,500 male and female high school basketball players showed that the use of lace-up ankle braces reduced the incidence of ankle injuries by 68% regardless of whether or not the player had a previous history of ankle injury, but braces did not reduce the severity of sprains in those who were injured.

 

·       A study of 1,000 male and female high school volleyball players showed that neither lace-up nor semi-rigid ankle braces reduced ankle injuries, but semi-rigid braces prevented ankle sprains in a subgroup of athletes who had never had a sprain.

 

·       Three small studies showed that ankle bracing and taping increased athletes’ confidence but did not improve their performance.

 

One area of agreement, however, is that bracing and taping cannot substitute for aggressive ankle rehabilitation after an injury.  Because of the reduction in playing time in a variety of sports due to the high rate of ankle sprains, I recommend an ankle sprain prevention program.  There is strong evidence showing ankle sprain prevention programs are effective. 
We will be happy to discuss the pros and cons of bracing and different styles of braces appropriate to your sport and level of play.  We can design a program to return strength and flexibility to your ankle and help prevent reinjury.  In addition, we would be glad to speak to any teams that are interested in instituting an injury prevention program as part of their training.

Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation in Wyckoff, NJ provides orthopedic and sports physical therapy services for the greater Ridgewood, Wyckoff, and Bergen County region.  This blog is intended for informational purposes only and should not be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. The views expressed here are the author’s views and should be taken as suggestions. Always consult your doctor or healthcare practitioner before engaging in a physical therapy or rehabilitation program.

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann is a premier physical therapist based out of Bergen County, New Jersey. He holds an MS in physical therapy from the University of Miami, is credentialed in the world-renowned McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT), and holds an OCS (Orthopedic Clinical Specialist) certification. As of 2018, there are approximately 14,000 ABPTS certified specialists in the nation and less than 400 of them are located in the state of New Jersey. Tom is the owner and director of Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation in Paramus. He opened the clinic, which specializes in spine and sports injury prevention, in 2004 after many years of experience in the field. Tom’s caring interest in others and his strong belief in continuity of care, combined with his clinic’s ability to find solutions for the most difficult orthopedic problems, have earned Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation its excellent reputation with patients and medical professionals in northeastern New Jersey and beyond. A true “family man,” Tom takes pride in his clinic’s warm and welcoming environment.
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