Q: Are braces an effective way for athletes to prevent or heal an ankle injury?
A: Preventative bracing can be beneficial for some individuals depending on what the patient as well as the clinician hope to accomplish. For example, a physical therapist may have concerns that wearing a brace would lead to weaker stabilizing muscles. However, several factors should be taken into consideration, including where the injury may have occurred in proximity to the tendons or ligaments of the ankle. The stabilizing structures will already be weak, so the patient may benefit from a brace to help ease pain and ensure no additional episodes of instability.
Bracing may even help prevent a future sprain or fracture. Some athletes may not be able to undergo surgery until a later date, or they may want to finish out a highly pivotal point in their career. In that case, it may make sense for the athlete to brace the ankle.
Another example of when bracing may be beneficial is after surgery. Even after activities resume, the soft tissues continue to remodel and strengthen over time. During this early post-op period, the tissues may not be as mature as they would be immediately after surgery. However, during this recovery time, motions must be regulated. Wearing a brace allows the patient to still be able to move the healing tissues while limiting stress to enhance the healing process. Protecting the ankle from extreme levels of movement can aid the healing process.
Relying on a brace at a young age may not be the best solution for many patients. In situations such as this, if nonsurgical therapies are ineffective, then surgical intervention may be beneficial. It also takes recognizing that surgery is not an option for everyone, and some may choose to wear a brace indefinitely. Overall, bracing is a personal decision.