The most common sports injury in the United States is an ankle sprain, which often occurs when landing after a jump. Since there are multiple players jumping on each play in volleyball, ankle sprains are a common injury. Ankle taping and ankle braces are effective in preventing ankle sprains and stabilizing injured ankles.
Ankle Tape
Ankle tape provides support to ankles when applied correctly. The main advantage of ankle taping is that each time your ankle is taped, custom support is given and a snug fit is ensured. However, the tape may loosen as the ankle perspires and constantly buying more tape is not as cost-effective as the one time purchase of an ankle brace.
Active Ankle
The Active Ankles is a type of semi-rigid ankle brace. This brace features molded plastic supports on either side of the ankle, as well as padding surrounding the ankle bone. These braces also offer the highest amount of preventative support and feature a bilateral hinge that offers the full range of motion needed for jumping during volleyball.
ASO Brace
An ASO (Ankle Stabilizing Orthosis) brace is a type of nonrigid brace that offers a more comfortable fit. The brace is made of nylon or canvas, and features a lace-up design and a Velcro close. It is meant to mimic ankle taping, with more comfort and flexibility. The ASO brace features a "figure-8" support strap that surrounds the foot to limit the amount of inversion in the foot.
