Sprained ankles are one of the more common injuries that people get while playing sports. A recent report regarding sports injuries among high school athletes estimates a staggering 2 million each year with 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A recent study was done to see how ankle braces can help prevent ankle sprains. Results from the study reveal that ankle braces significantly protect ankles from sprains, especially inversion ones for those who had not experienced a sprained ankle before.
A good ankle brace can make a difference for some.
999 high school varsity volleyball players from LA took part in a study during an entire season to see how well ankle braces worked. 40% of the players were male while 60% were female. Five different types of braces were used in the study ranging from rigid, semi-rigid, and non-rigid braces. In order to really see the effect of the brace(s), they players had to wear the brace during all the games and practices. Of the 999 participants, only 42 of them played without a brace while the ohter957 wore a brace. The results showed that sprains occurred pretty equal over time. 9.3% suffered sprains while wearing a brace and 9.5% suffered a sprain while not wearing a brace. There was a decrease in the number of sprains suffered by those who had never before had a sprained ankle.
The conclusion that the study showed is that ankle braces do serve a purpose, but they aren’t a guarantee from preventing a sprained ankle.
This study was published May 1, 2010.