FiddlerDog
Hall of Fame
I just noticed them in the photos here
Does anyone here wear braces on both ankles?
Does anyone here wear braces on both ankles?
Andy Roddick used ankle braces on both ankles.
- Thread starter FiddlerDog
- Start date
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
Some athletes use them as preventative measures on feet or ankles they had previously sprained / injured. I did that for a while on my right foot but don't recall ever doing so on my left. 20+ years ago, I had experienced a partial Achilles tendon tear in the R leg. At one point, I also had heel spurs on that same foot due to an accident quite a few years prior to that.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
And that’s not even taking into account the extra moment of inertia that ankle braces exert on the old stiff hammies when you want to make that burst forward to chase the dropper.
eagle
Hall of Fame
Above comments were my concerns also before I started using them.
But they were dispelled quickly after first use.
They provide good support. Range of motion for quick steps and change of direction was unaffected.
The only thing it will prevent is you rolling your ankles which is what I got them for.
They are so comfortable that I forget I have them.
I have friends who played competitive volleyball who were using the braces. Seeing Roddick using them gave me more reason to give them a try.
No regrets. Works for me. Been using them for at least 10 years.
YMMV.
But they were dispelled quickly after first use.
They provide good support. Range of motion for quick steps and change of direction was unaffected.
The only thing it will prevent is you rolling your ankles which is what I got them for.
They are so comfortable that I forget I have them.
I have friends who played competitive volleyball who were using the braces. Seeing Roddick using them gave me more reason to give them a try.
No regrets. Works for me. Been using them for at least 10 years.
YMMV.
This was my experience with them as well. I was having some tendinitis in the tendon that wraps around under the knobby part of my ankle. I started using a brace on that ankle...I felt like I was putting significantly more strain on my knee from the first sharp movement. Took it off and dealt with the tendinitis in other ways.
puppybutts
Hall of Fame
serena also has been wearing them for like a decade, saying she's prone to ankle issues. funny i never noticed them on roddick or serena until recently.
on a slightly unrelated note, while ankle braces can help reduce incidence of injury, high top shoes do not. the extra tall ankle collar of high tops simply are too flimsy to actually restrict any kind of motion. but what they can do is give your body extra feedback (proprioception) to potentially help you realize and react faster when your ankle is going awry. looking for a shoe with an extra wide flange is also helpful to prevent rolling (most visible on the adidas solecourt boost - not saying to get the shoe, but just an example)
yossarian
Professional
external supports like taping/bracing provide no evidence based benefits to ankle proprioception
puppybutts
Hall of Fame
i didn't say taping/bracing benefits ankle proprioception...they can help reduce incidence of injury. as for high tops and proprioception, well there's mixed research.
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S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
I first saw them in VB also. And I sprained my ankle multiple times playing VB over the years. But I never used the brace for precisely the reason that @ollinger pointed out. I did tape it for a week or so after resuming play but stopped as soon as I was confident in my recovery.
I think it boils down to body type: I have relatively flexible ankles and they can take a fair amount of bending. I'd rather they take the shock than my knees, even at the expense of the occasional sprain. The ankles were designed for shock absorption; the knees, not so much.
Wiztardo
New User
I think there is quite a bit of difference between ankle braces and ankle support. I wear two ankle "sleeves" that are basically compression sleeves that start at the mid arch of my foot, and go to about 3 inches above my ankle. Then there are also velcro straps that you cross and wrap around your ankle in such a way it adds some extra support, while keeping me pretty flexible. It definitely wouldn't stop a full on ankle roll, but it definitely helps provide that extra bit of resistance.
The only reasons I wear them are because I have skateboarded my whole life and have had a hilarious amount of injuries to my feet and ankles over the years. Also, at 31 years old, I am 5'7 and 185lbs, but a pretty agile and athletic build. So with that weight, it is just a ton of energy and directional change I am exerting on myself when I play tennis. I am actually looking to eliminate these ankle sleeves with some new shoes I have on the way. I ordered some Nike Kyrie 7s with outdoor court soles in an attempt to get a good hightop shoe that I feel very stable in.
The only reasons I wear them are because I have skateboarded my whole life and have had a hilarious amount of injuries to my feet and ankles over the years. Also, at 31 years old, I am 5'7 and 185lbs, but a pretty agile and athletic build. So with that weight, it is just a ton of energy and directional change I am exerting on myself when I play tennis. I am actually looking to eliminate these ankle sleeves with some new shoes I have on the way. I ordered some Nike Kyrie 7s with outdoor court soles in an attempt to get a good hightop shoe that I feel very stable in.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
Sounds like some good shoes to have his name on them.
