Prophylactic Ankle Brace Use in High School Volleyball Players: A Prospective Study

Abstract

This information may be helpful in deciding whether to recommend prophylactic ankle braces in volleyball players.

The Effectiveness of Prophylactic Ankle Braces in Reducing the Incidence of Acute Ankle Injuries in Adolescent Athletes: A Critically Appraised Topic

“…[2][3][4] While these findings may be the result of methodological differences across studies, such as study design or type of ankle brace used as the intervention, it may be due to the different demands of each sport on the athlete. Based on the nature of football and basketball, athletes have more frequent opportunities for direct physical contact with other players in comparison with volleyball athletes.…”

“…2,3 It is also important to note that none of the 3 studies demonstrated an increased incidence of acute ankle sprains in the ankle-brace group compared with the control group. [2][3][4] Cumulatively, these findings indicate that the use of prophylactic ankle braces across an athletic season is effective in reducing acute ankle injuries in adolescent athletes.…”

“…Three relevant studies [2][3][4] were located and categorized as described in Table 1 (based on Levels of Evidence, Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, 2009).…”

Management and prevention of acute and chronic lateral ankle instability in athletic patient populations

“…Several interventions have demonstrated success in achieving these goals without significant effects on quality of life or impeding athletic performance. By increasing passive restraints to ankle inversion and enhancing postural stability, prophylactic bracing in high-risk athletes has demonstrated success reducing the risk of primary and recurrent ankle sprain by up to 50% [41,106,107] . In one prospective randomized trial, Sitler et al [41] demonstrated a threefold increased risk for ankle sprain among unbraced basketball players when compared to braced athletes over a two-year time period at the United States Military Academy.…”

Comparison Between Rigid Double Upright and Lace-up Ankle Braces on Ankle Range of Motion, Functional Performance, and User Satisfaction of Brace Characteristics

“…[9][10][11] Because of the relatively high prevalence and risk of ankle sprain, ankle braces are widely used and have been recognized as an effective prophylactic intervention to reduce the incidence, severity, and recurrence of ankle sprains. 4,[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] There are many different types of ankle braces available commercially, and most can be classified into categories of rigid, semi-rigid, or lace-up based upon their general design. A recent study by Denton et al regarding clinicians' (ie, physical therapists and athletic trainers) recommendations and perceptions associated with ankle brace use reported that lace-up braces were the type of ankle brace that were most frequently recommended prophylactically to prevent ankle sprain injuries.…”