Ankle brace

An ankle brace is intended to prevent ankle sprains. Ankle sprain is the most common injury among athletes. But people who do not play sports can also sprain an ankle. An ankle brace is used as treatment after an ankle sprain to give the ankle rest. It can also be used to prevent the ankle from being sprained again. After an ankle sprain, the chance of recurrence is many times higher.

What is the best treatment after an ankle sprain?

The best-proven treatment after an ankle sprain is tape, an ankle brace, and an exercise program. All these treatments reduce the risk of new ankle injury. High-top shoes, stretching exercises, and insoles have not been proven to prevent ankle sprains.

There is a lot of evidence that an ankle brace helps prevent ankle sprains in sports. Still, not everyone wears an ankle brace. This is because an ankle brace is not always comfortable. And athletes find it a "hassle" to put on a brace every time. There is also still the idea that an ankle becomes 'lazy' from wearing a brace. That turns out not to be true. Muscles do not become lazy from wearing a brace.

Ankle brace or ankle stability training?

Research shows that an ankle brace gives the lowest chance of a recurrent ankle sprain. This does not mean that stability training is not good. Stability training also reduces the chance of spraining the ankle again. Treatment is also very personal and must always be tailored to the load the ankle has to endure.

How long should an ankle brace be worn?

Up to a year after the sprain, wearing an ankle brace during sports is recommended. This often means that an ankle brace should be used longer than is usually done now. In particular, the recovery of ligaments can take up to a year.

Which ankle brace is best?

Any ankle brace with additional reinforcements is good for preventing new ankle injury. This reinforcement can also be in the form of an elastic band. This is the case, for example, with so-called compression braces.

Still, there are many differences. The differences are often in wearing comfort and function. A soccer player needs more ankle function when kicking. It is also important for soccer players that the ball can still be kicked correctly, without this causing pain at the ankle or the ball going in a different direction due to the shape of the ankle brace.

There are different types of ankle braces:

• Compression brace.
• Lace-up brace.
• Semi-rigid brace (a brace with plastic reinforcements on the side(s) of the ankle brace).

Which ankle brace is good is often person- and sport-dependent. Soccer players generally prefer a compression brace. This is due to the wearing comfort and because the brace does not hinder kicking a ball.

Volleyball players more often prefer a lace-up brace. A lace-up brace is stiffer and therefore gives more stability than a compression brace. A volleyball player does not need the feet to play the ball as in soccer. Runners also prefer the compression brace. This is because runners also need more mobility and less stability in the ankle than volleyball players.

Ask a physical therapist to advise you on which brace suits you best.