If you are a basketball player, you would know that it is associated with many quick cuts, planting, jumping, and switching directions. Often, basketball players roll their ankles, experience achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, or sustain a stress fracture. In those cases, players need the best ankle brace for basketball to support their movements and limit injuries.
We’ve compared five models of ankle support so you can find the best ankle brace for basketball for your needs.
5 Best Ankle Braces for Basketball Reviewed
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Name |
Type |
Rating |
Price |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lace-up |  |
$$ | |
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Lace-up with Straps | |
$$ | |
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Straps |  |
$ | |
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Achilles Support | |
$$ | |
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Sleeve | |
$$ |
Types of Ankle Injuries
There are three types of ankle sprains common in the sport of basketball. Scroll to read more.
Lateral Ankle Sprain
By far, the most common injury is a lateral ankle sprain. This occurs when the foot rotates internally and damages one or more of the four ligaments located on the lateral or outer side of the ankle.
Medial Ankle Sprain
A medial ankle sprain is the opposite of a lateral sprain. A medial sprain occurs when you externally rotate your foot and damage the deltoid ligament located on the medial or inner side of your ankle.
High Ankle Sprain
A high ankle sprain is when you damage the ligaments located above the ankle. These ligaments connect the tibia and fibular and are damaged in movements that have excess rotation or if the top of your foot is forced too far back.
Achilles Tendonitis
Achilles tendonitis is common in basketball players because it can become inflamed from repetitive jumping and running. The Achilles tendon connects the heel to the calf muscles, and when it is overused, it can cause micro-tears that cause pain.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is another condition common in basketball players because it is associated with quick cuts and unnatural landing. The plantar fascia is a sheath of connective tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot and helps maintain the arches of your foot.
Stress Fractures
Stress fractures are tiny fractures in the bones of your ankle. They are common in basketball players because of the repeated jumping, landing, and running.
When the muscles become too tired and can no longer absorb the shock of these movements, the bones try to pick up some of the slack. As a result, this may cause tiny cracks like fractures in the bones that cause pain, swelling, and tenderness.
How will the Ankle Brace for Basketball Help?
A brace can either be used to protect a previously injured ankle or for preventative purposes. Different braces are designed to protect your ankle from different injuries.
- For a common injury of an ankle sprain, the brace will provide protection and pressure to the damaged tissue to help manage inflammation and pain.
- They can also provide structural support for an ankle with weak stability.
- This support will prevent the ankle from moving into a position that is unnatural and will injure the soft tissue.
- An Achilles tendon support brace will slightly lift the heel to take pressure off of this tendon to help minimize inflammation and swelling.
- A brace designed for someone suffering from plantar fasciitis is designed to stretch out the inflamed plantar fascia.
- It will also provide increased warmth to increase blood flow to the tissue and lead to a speedy recovery.
The ideal brace should provide relief from injury while maximizing and improving performance.
Basketball Ankle Brace Reviews
- It is a great brace for basketball players looking to prevent their ankle from injury or looking for support for previously injured ligaments. The lightweight design of this brace leads to increased mobility and comfort.
- Don’t let the lightweight feel fool you, though; it is made of a very sturdy material that will provide maximal support.
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The ASO ankle brace has multiple straps that create a figure-eight to protect and support soft tissue in the ankle.
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Moreover, it is a great brace for anyone returning to sport after previously injuring any of the ligaments in your ankle from a sprain.
- This is a very popular ankle brace in the sports world that provides excellent support and is a great fit. It is great for supporting your ankle during everyday activities and during sports for anyone suffering from a sprained ankle or Achilles tendinitis.
- Plus, the open heel design allows for a greater range of motion, while the custom adjustable straps allow for the perfect fit around the arch of your foot.
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This brace is designed to support the Achilles tendon in anyone suffering from Achilles tendonitis.
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It provides a slight heel lift to take pressure off this tendon and also stabilize the ankle.
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The CompressionZ foot sleeve is a comfortable open toes sock that will relieve anyone suffering from plantar fasciitis.
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The graduated compression design will help increase blood flow and promote faster muscle recovery.
Common Ways Basketball Players Sustain an Ankle Injury
There are a few different ways to injure your ankle during a game or practice. Injuries can come from your movements or from colliding with another player.
Firstly, when you are jumping up for a rebound, it is possible to land on your ankle in the wrong way, which can cause an unnatural twist of your ankle and injure your ligaments.
Secondly, executing hard cuts for quick directional changes also places too much pressure on your ankle ligaments, and they will over-rotate and tear.
Thirdly, a collision with another player on the court can put you at high risk for an ankle injury. When coming down from a rebound, there are many players in a small area, so it is common to land on another basketball player’s shoe, resulting in the exaggerated roll of the ankle.
Fourthly, there is also the risk of an ankle injury when going up for a layup and colliding with another player.
Foreword
Once you have experienced an injury to your ankle, it is important to keep the ankle protected while getting back into this high-intensity sport. In fact, many basketball players wear braces only for preventative reasons because of the high risk for ankle injuries associated with this sport.
We’ve reviewed the five best ankle braces for basketball here so you can find the one you need – whether you’re recovering from an injury or trying to prevent one from happening. Read our related posts for more product reviews.
