Now that we are well into the winter sporting season and the niggling injuries are continuing to pile up, you will start to see more and more athletes with taping or bracing on to help them get through each game. But which of the two is better? Let’s take a look at one of the most commonly taped/braced injuries, the lateral ankle sprain, as there are many factors to take into consideration. What are the benefits of taping and bracing?
After spraining your ankle for the first time, the likelihood of recurrent ankle sprains is greater and quite often in sports such as basketball and AFL, prophylactic taping or bracing takes place. The aim of this is to prevent the initial ankle sprain from occurring, which in turn, decreases the overall chance of sprains further down the track.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of taping vs bracing?
The downsides to taping are that in the long term it can be quite costly to buy rolls of sports tape and can be quite difficult to tape yourself. If the taping technique is poor or incorrect, often the tape can be too tight or too loose which won’t be as beneficial. Some people may also be allergic to tape, causing the skin to become itchy and irritated.
Disadvantages to bracing include the size of them, it can be difficult wearing the brace with all types of footwear given how bulky they can be. Braces do also require a higher outlay initially. So which should you be using? From a functional perspective, studies have shown there isn’t much separating taping and bracing. It will mainly come down to the individual themselves weighing up the pros and cons of each option when deciding which is best for them. Most importantly, anyone suffering from a lateral ankle sprain should be getting Physiotherapy to help regain function, stability, and strength for a quicker return to sport. Your Physiotherapist will also be able to help you make an informative decision on whether taping or bracing is the best option for you, taking into account your goals. Have further questions? Get into contact with the MPP team so we can assist you with advice specific to your needs. If you’re looking for more information about ankle sprains and taping and bracing, check out these articles below:
- Altaweel A, Alabbad MA (2020) The influence of athletic taping and bracing on ankle sprain: A literature review. Saudi J Sports Med;20:36-9 https://www.sjosm.org/text.asp?2020/20/2/36/307518 - Kemler, E., van de Port, I., Backx, F. et al. A Systematic Review on the Treatment of Acute Ankle Sprain. Sports Med 41, 185–197 (2011). https://doi.org/10.2165/11584370-000000000-00000 - Vuurberg, G., Hoorntje, A., Wink, L., van der Doelen, B., van den Bekerom, M., & Dekker, R. et al. (2018). Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains: update of an evidence-based clinical guideline. British Journal Of Sports Medicine, 52(15), 956-956. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-098106 Comments are closed.
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