Best ankle support for athletes
Introducing the Sports Ankle Support Dynamic.
Whether you run, walk, hike, play sports or participate in any other physical activities on your feet, your ankles are subject to quite a bit of strain and impact. According to the College of Sports Medicine, more than 25,000 Americans experience a form of ankle injury every day. With ankle sprains topping the list for the most common form of ankle injury at 80% and basketball being the top sport for ankle sprains, it is important to be prepared.
The best thing you can do for your ankles is to make sure they are properly supported and to be proactive about preventing ankle injury. If you have already experienced an ankle injury, it is crucial to take immediate steps to treat the injury and once healed, fit your ankles with the proper support to prevent any further injuries.
If you have experienced an ankle injury and are still in the recovery process, read the below section on R.I.C.E Therapy. If you are here to learn about which ankle support is best for you, skip down to "Choosing the right ankle brace," where we discuss the difference between the Sports Ankle Support Dynamic and Sports Ankle Support.
R.I.C.E Therapy –
What are signs that you are injured? Pain is the number one signal. Being tired, sore or uncomfortable is one thing, but true pain is your body’s warning that something is not right. Disregarding pain can set you up for more serious injury with a longer recovery. Other signs include hearing or feeling a “pop,” sudden joint instability and swelling.
So you've recognized that you are injured, and you've paused your activity: Now what? The most widely accepted first line of post-injury treatment is known by the acronym R.I.C.E. Therapy.
REST –
Give your body time to heal! While resting, your body can devote energy to repairing itself, and you greatly up your odds of not turning a small injury into a bigger one by re-injuring yourself.
ICE –
Cold compress constricts the blood vessels which will reduce swelling, pain and inflammation. However, it can also reduce healing agents in the blood from coming to the injured area to promote healing. For this reason, ice has become more controversial recently. Most health care professionals still believe icing for 10-15 minutes three to five times per day for acute (fresh) injuries will help. Just make sure to put your ice pack in a pillowcase or have a thin layer between you and it or you can actually get frostbite and make things worse.
COMPRESSION –
Applying compression can help keep the area from “blowing up” or becoming severely swollen. Wearing a medical-grade compression product on the affected area is best as it provides a gradient compression that is firmest farthest away from the body and slowly loosens as it nears the body. This not only keeps swelling down but also increases blood flow – so the bad stuff gets removed faster and the good stuff is still allowed in to start the healing process. This is where an ankle support is needed.
ELEVATION –
Raising the injured area above the heart will encourage swelling to follow gravity and head back to the central body where it can be reabsorbed.
All Bauerfeind products with medical-grade compression can help reduce pain and swelling while increasing blood flow. This helps accelerate healing and can get you back in the game!
Which Ankle Support is right for me?
When deciding what ankle brace is best for you, you will first need to decide what level of support is needed for your specific activity and ankle stability requirements. The Bauerfeind Sports Line offers two different ankle support braces that were specifically designed for athletes:
Bauerfeind Sports Ankle Support Dynamic
Best for: mild ankle instability, relief/prevention of swelling, slim-fit support, mild sporting activity
Our dynamic ankle support provides targeted compression via an AirKnit fabric that is lighter, moisture-wicking, machine washable and slim fitting. A compression support like the dynamic helps when you have minor ankle instabilities and need to focus blood circulation, minimize swelling and irritation, require sensorimotor feedback in the ankle and would like to improve joint coordination. With the slim fitting design, the dynamic fits easily within shoes, cleats and other athletic footwear with minimal bunching for a comfortable yet supportive experience. We have designed this ankle brace to be particularly light and ideal for many sports activities. The anatomic fit guarantees a secure fit and maximum freedom of movement.
Sports Ankle Support Dynamic
- Slim design supports the ankle and gives you a secure fit with maximum freedom
- 3D AirKnit fabric for breathability made of hard-wearing material
- Improves proprioception
- Comfortable anatomic fit
- Moisture-wicking and machine washable
Bauerfeind Sports Ankle Support
Best for: more severe ankle stability needs, additional ligament support, agility-intensive sporting activities, adjustable ankle support
Our Sports Ankle Support is ideal for more severe ankle instabilities or post-sporting injury recoveries in which you need an ankle support to wear during your sporting activity. This brace features targeted compression zones to promote circulation in the ankle, prevent swelling, ease pains and irritations and provide extra support around the ankle joint. This ankle support features a figure-8 taping strap that wraps around your ankle joint providing additional stabilizing ankle support. The figure-8 strapping system provides the same stability as athletic taping but is much simpler to apply, gentle on the skin, breathable and easily fits into a shoe. In addition, the strap maintains its stability during rigorous activities, unlike tape. Similar to the dynamic version, the ankle support is made of a lightweight, breathable material that is durable and machine washable. The AirKnit provides medical standard compression to boost circulation and reduce damaging muscle vibrations. Joint, tendon and ligament loads are reduced.
Sports Ankle Support
- Figure-8 Taping Strap more durable than a tape bandage
- 3D AirKnit fabric for breathability made of hard-wearing material
- Stays in place during movement
- Intermittent compression provides stimulation & reliable stabilization
- Moisture-wicking and machine washable
This information is provided for general information purposes and should not be relied on as a substitute for medical advice, evaluation or care from a qualified and licensed health care provider. The information contained here is not to be considered a plan of care of physical therapy.
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