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Types of Ankle Supports

Ankle sprains account for the most common sports-related injuries in the country, according to Dr. Douglas A. Reeves Jr. of Clemson University. More than 2 million ankle injuries are reported each year in the United States alone. As a result, there are a number of different types of ankle supports that are available to both assist in ankle healing and to prevent further injury.

  1. Ankle Tape

    • Ankle tape is used by applying a thin pre-tape foam to the ankle before sticking the end of a roll of tape to the front of the foot or the side of the ankle. The tape is then wrapped around the padding, ankle and the foot until the joint is fully wrapped. The tape stays in place due to the adhesive that sticks to both the skin and the back of the tape, so ankle tape is very useful for athletic competitions where the wrapping cannot be readjusted once the contest has begun. Tape helps provide support to the ankle to prevent or diminish ankle buckling, but care needs to be used to not tighten the tape so much that it affects blood circulation.

    Neoprene Brace

    • A neoprene brace is a specially designed fabric brace that is shaped specifically to fit around an ankle. Neoprene is spongy and somewhat elastic, which enables the ankle to still move freely while still giving the joint extra rigidity. It wraps around the back of the heel and is connected by a piece of Velcro that sticks to the neoprene. Some neoprene braces are pulled on over the foot as an alternative to the Velcro fitting, since Velcro can stop sticking over time.

    Hinge Braces

    • Some ankle braces are made of a plastic material that has a metal hinge joint on both sides of the shell, with the hinge providing the main source of support for the ankle and preventing a lateral collapse of the joint. The shell is tightened around the ankle with either ties or Velcro so the brace can be adjusted as needed for each person. Hinge braces provide a maximum amount of support against further ankle damage, but they can limit mobility and make it more difficult to wear shoes and other normal-sized footwear, which limits its convenience.

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