Ankle injuries are one of the most common injuries on the sporting field. We see and treat a significant amount of them in the clinic. Taping and bracing are practical methods to prevent future ankle injuries. We receive a lot of questions surrounding taping and bracing, most notably:
- What is the difference between ankle bracing and taping?
- What is more effective?
- What would we recommend?
What is the difference between ankle bracing and taping?
When you roll your ankle either inwards (inversion) or outwards (eversion) the ligaments and muscles surrounding the ankle are damaged and become more lax, or looser. Both taping and bracing are effective in stabilising the ankle joint following a sprain.
There are some primary differences between the two methods. Ankle bracing is much more bulky then taping and doesn’t fit as well in a sporting shoe. Despite this, ankle bracing doesn’t require someone else to apply it whereas taping does.
An ankle brace is much more cost effective than taping long term. A roll of tape costs approximately $15-20 and will last you 4-5 games whereas the ankle guard will last several seasons.
We recommend netball and soccer players to either brace or tape following their ankle injuries to reduce the risk of re-injury.
What is more effective?
Both methods have been shown to have good efficacy. An article published in the Journal of Athletic Training highlighted that both taping and bracing were effective in reducing the risk of ankle injuries in the injured and uninjured patients. What it showed as well was that bracing was less costly and had less risk (skin irritation) compared with taping.
What would we recommend? Taping or bracing?
There are pros and cons for both methods.
Taping is much cheaper in the short term and generally more comfortable than an ankle brace. Additionally, tape fits better within a shoe.
An ankle brace is much more cost effective and doesn’t require somebody else to put the brace on.
After weighing up all the positives and negatives of both, ultimately the method you choose comes down to personal preference.