Almost all sports include running, which puts you at risk for a rolled ankle or ankle sprain. Many athletes wear sports ankle braces to help prevent these injuries and to provide extra support to the ankle. There several different types of ankle support braces for sports.

Lace Up Ankle Braces - Lace ankle braces are great for athletes who want to control the tightness of the brace at each point of the foot. The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine recently studied basketball players and found that wearing laced ankle braces significantly reduces the chance for ankle injuries.

Recommended: ProCare Lace Up Ankle Brace

Rigid Ankle Braces - Rigid ankle braces have a hard outer shell that allows the ankle to move up and down, and helps prevent too much of the side to side movement that leads to ankle injuries. Rigid ankle braces can be worn to prevent severe ankle injuries - especially if your ankle has already had an injury before. They can also be used immediately after an injury to help stabilize the area and provide extra support when walking.

Recommended: DonJoy Velocity Ankle Brace, Aircast Air-Stirrup

Soft Ankle Braces - Soft ankle braces provide mild to moderate ankle support. There are soft ankle sleeves that are like compressive socks, which applies pressure to help support the ankle and to keep it warm.  There are also soft ankle braces with metal supports on either side of the ankle which help prevent side to side movement and rolled ankles.

Recommended: Aircast A60, DonJoy Deluxe Elastic Ankle Support

If you're very active, especially in sports that require a lot of footwork, wearing an ankle support brace is recommended to help prevent ankle injuries. Talk with your doctor or one of our brace coaches to find the one that best suits your needs.

Tip: We often see our customers typing ankel braces instead of ankle braces! When searching for an ankle brace make sure you use the correct spelling so you can find the best products possible for your needs. :-)