Why Wear An Achilles Tendon Brace?

An Achilles tendon brace is something you might consider wearing whether you’re a

professional athlete or someone who likes to play sports a lot. Ankle injuries are one of the most common injuries among athletes, with ankle sprains topping the list. Ankle sprains mostly consist of inversion injuries, which can lead to chronic ankle sprains. Achilles tendonitis, on the other hand, is characterized by the inflammation and irritation of the large tendon and is usually caused by an overuse of the ankle.

Prevention of Medial and Lateral Ankle Injuries

As the age-old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

Although there are now a lot of treatments and therapies available for this type of injury, its prevention is really easier to do and lighter on the pocket, too.

Prevention is mostly about ensuring that you wear the right shoes and that you use an active ankle support whenever you engage in sports activities.

Keep the following in mind about your footwear:

• Use running shoes that have moderate cushioning and whose heels are only slightly elevated.

• Refrain from using shoes with no cushioning and no heel height.

• Use anti-pronation shoes to prevent the excessive rotation of the foot while walking.

• Wear motion control shoes if your ankles excessively pronate, but first seek your doctor’s advice about this.

• Wear shoes that have a flexible sole at the forefoot. Ensure that your shoes provide adequate comfort and fit while you walk.

• Wear shoes that provide the correct arch support. This is especially important for those with either high arched or low arched feet.

Ankle Protection and Treatment: Tapes versus Braces

There is a lot of debate on whether tapes or braces are more effective than the other. Although studies lean more towards braces being more effective than tapes, all experts agree that the use of tapes and braces is better than not using any ankle protection at all.

Achilles tendon taping - instead of the regular white ankle tape, more athletes now prefer the power tape, which is stronger and more water resistant. Elastic ankle tapes are found to be more comfortable on the heel locks, while tapes with moleskin strips for stirrups are more appropriate for previously injured ankles.

The major disadvantage of using tapes or ankle wraps is that their application can be quite complicated. You may need an expert to correctly apply and position the tape on your ankle.

Information About Achilles Tendon Support Braces

Most athletes prefer to use braces over tapes because, unlike tapes, braces are adjustable, reusable, and can be self-applied. In the long run, braces can be more cost effective. Achilles tendon support braces can be either non-rigid or semi-rigid. Non-rigid braces are worn like socks. Some are made of neoprene. Although they do provide some amount of ankle compression, they are unable to provide enough stability to the ankles.

 Semi-rigid braces, on the other hand, come with air cushions or molded plastic struts, which are placed on the sides of the ankles. These provide the ankles with more stability, and you may use them to aid your rehabilitation from an injury. These achilles tendon support braces can also come with ankle brace locks or fabric straps for the stimulation of heel locks. Be sure to diligently wear your braces when undergoing treatment even when these can be quite uncomfortable and do not allow for the normal flexion that tapes do.

One popular Achilles tendon brace brand is the Achillotrain Achilles Tendonitis Support. You can use this to protect your Achilles tendon from fatal shock or tension. You can also use this to enable movement while recovering from an ankle surgery or injury. Other recommended models are the Mcdavid brace and also the Mueller ankle support brace.

If you’re an athlete or someone very active in sports then you definitely do not want any injury spoiling your fun. Consider adding an Achilles tendon brace to your sports gear to ensure that you’re always up and running.