Best Ankle Brace
Ankle injuries are one of the most common injuries are everyday activities through to elite sports and they suck. The cause of an ankle injury can be anywhere from acute to chronic in nature.
Acute injuries include torn or sprained ligaments and broken bones. Chronic injuries are those that have built up over time from repeated misuse and damage/micro tears. Ankle braces are tailored for many ​different types of injuries​ to create the best support for effected area. Some people may also have weak or lax ankles and need to use a brace that is going to protect them from injury​.
Common ankle injuries include: ligament sprains, torn ligaments, bone fractures, Achilles Tendonitis, torn Achilles, Plantar Fasciitis, flat feet and many more.
How does an ankle brace help?
An ankle brace or support will help provide physical restraint and reinforce the supporting action of the ankle ligament that may have been injured. These braces also provide a level of proprioception which is the bodies’ awareness of where your limbs/joints are in space without having to look at them. Through feedback from the sensory nerves the ​increased proprioception ​helps the ankle to perform smooth, balanced and safe movements.
Ankle Supports
There are a range of injuries that these types of braces can help with such as sprains, fractures and tendonitis. These ankle braces can be grouped based on the level of support they will give you.
- Low level ankle braces include soft ankle supports that are made from Neoprene and elastic and should be used for minor ankle pain, or for sports first aid after an injury to apply compression to the ankle.
- Medium level ankle braces are the lace up and wraparound ankle supports that have stabilizing stays. These medium level braces can be used for mild to moderate ankle ligament injuries or sprains.
- High level ankle braces contain rigid splints and stays and should be used for moderate to high level ankle injuries.
Ankle ​supports create support and compression to help alleviate pain and speed up recovery. The tight fit is designed to help prevent recurrent sprained ankle injuries that are very common in the average to elite athlete. These braces will help speed up recovery and help prevent injury once returning to sport.
​Next we’ll look at some of the specific ​types of ankle support available for each type of ankle and foot related ​issue.
Achilles Strap
The Achilles strap is a type of ankle brace that should be used in high impact sports that put a lot of pressure on your achilles tendon. Sports like running and squash that require repeated movements through the ‘push-off’ phase can cause severe pain and the possibility to tear that Achilles Tendon. An Achilles strap gives support and relief to the Achilles Tendon through pressure that creates a slight heel lift. This slight heel lift reduces stress to the tendon.
Plantar Fasciitis Supports
Plantar Fasciitis is the most common form of heel and ​foot sole pain. The most common symptoms are ​pain in the heel and sole of the foot, particularly in the morning. It is caused by inflammation from excessive straining of the plantar fascia which is a band of connective tissue that supports the arch of your foot by connecting the heel to the toes.
There are a few different types of support for Plantar Fasciitis, night socks and splints that stretch the plantar fascia in the sole of the foot for a prolonged period of time, as well as arch support for daily use.
Flat Foot Supports
Flat feet is a deformity in which the arches of the foot collapse and cause the entire sole of the foot to come in contact with the ground. The elasticity of an intact arch provides the mechanics to absorb and dissipate ​the forces of ground impact when walking and running​. Flat foot supports provide support and compression to the arch of the foot to relieve the pain caused by fallen arches.
Here are our ​Top Recommended ​Ankle ​Braces:
Name | Type | Our Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Lace-up | No products found. | $$ | |
Lace-up | No products found. | $$ | |
Lace-up with straps | No products found. | $$ | |
Arch Band | No products found. | $ | |
Achilles Support | No products found. | $$$ |
