Investigation Of The Injured Ankle: With Research Comparing Ankle Joint Support Provided By The Swede-0 Ankle Brace Or Athletic Tape Before And After A Volleyball Practice

Abstract

The goal of this research was to document the strengths and weaknesses of the two ankle stabilizers so that athletes could make informed decision about which treatment to use in either preventing or rehabilitating a sprained ankle. From the data collected, a number of options may be presented to an athlete. First, with an initial sprain of the ankle it is crucial that as much support as possible be provided. Therefore, it is recommended that the injured ankle be both taped and braced. Each of these treatments was found to provided support before exercise. Hence, it believed that using both treatments together would provide the most support and protection to the weakened ankle. After a recovery and rehabilitation period it is recommended that any athlete have the injured ankle taped by a certified athletic trainer before any practice session. The tape was found to provide the most support against inversion (85% of all sprains) and should therefore be chosen over the brace. The brace should not be ruled out in terms of its effectiveness. Although it did not provide as much strength as the tape it was still effective in stabilizing the ankle before any exercise. The athletes in the study were also told to neither tighten or loosen the brace during the course of the practice. Perhaps if the brace was tightened throughout different results would be obtained. Therefore, the use of tho Swede-0 Brace is still very significant. After the ligaments have had several weeks to heal a brace may be used to provide some support when the ankle no longer requires complete or nearly complete immobilization. Furthermore, the ankle brace is much more cost effective and quicker to apply than tape. Athletes with concerns about ankle stability might prefer to use a brace despite never sustaining an actual injury as a precaution. The study has shown that the brace does provide some support and could be an excellent tool in preventing an ankle injury.