The Best Ankle Brace to Prevent Rolling

A rolled ankle occurs when the ankle twists or turns in an awkward manner, pushing the ligaments beyond their normal range of motion. Once rolled, an ankle is more susceptible to future injury. Luckily, ankle braces to prevent rolling can protect the ankles by stabilizing them without affecting the way you walk. Take a look at our list of the best ankle braces to prevent rolling and protect your ankles from accidental sprains.

How to Prevent Rolling Your Ankle

A rolled ankle, or sprain, is caused by an overstretched ligament. The bad news is that the more you roll your ankle, the weaker your ankle ligaments become. This, in turn, can contribute to recurrent ankle sprains. Luckily, an ankle brace can help prevent ankle rolling. Here are some other simple steps you can take to protect your ankles from overextension.

• Wear Appropriate Shoes

  Whether you are an athlete or simply like to stay active, wearing footwear that has been specifically designed for your type of activity will protect you from accidentally twisting your ankles. People with low or high arches should select shoes or insoles that have been specifically designed to support their type of feet.

• Take Care

  Ankle injuries can happen during sports or while you go about your daily life. To minimize the risk of rolling your ankle, always warm up before exercise or any other physically demanding activity. Take care when running or walking on an uneven surface or steep terrain. Sudden changes in activity level can also take their toll on your ankles and should be avoided.

• Stay in Shape

  Weak muscles can contribute to the risk of an ankle injury. Good muscle strength and flexibility, on the other hand, can minimize your risk of ankle sprains. To keep yourself in tip-top shape perform regular exercises to strengthen your legs, feet, hips, and core muscles, as well as flexibility and balance training.

Ankle Strengthening Exercises

Here are a few exercises to improve your ankle stability and minimize the risk of injury.

• Calf Stretch

  Stand with your hands on a wall or hold onto the edge of a table. One of your legs should be a step behind the other. Keeping your back leg straight with the heel on the floor, bend your front leg until you feel a stretch in your back leg. Hold this move for between 15 and 30 seconds. Release and repeat four times.

• Calf Raises

  As simple as they are effective, calf raises require no equipment and can be virtually done anywhere. Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart. Keeping your legs straight, raise your heels off the floor as far as is comfortable. Return to the starting position and repeat ten times. To make this exercise more challenging, perform it while standing on the edge of a step or a stair with your heels unsupported.

• Resistance Band Exercise

  Sit on a chair with your heels on the floor. Wrap a resistance band around a table leg so it forms a loop. Insert your foot into the loop and move your ankle and ball of the foot away from your other foot without lifting your heel off the floor until you feel resistance. Then move your ankle in the opposite direction, toward your other foot. Perform this exercise 10 times on each side.

• Balance Exercise

  Stand on one foot with your arms to the sides. Stand in a doorway, holding onto the frame, if you feel you need support. Balance for as long as possible, working your way to 60 seconds. To make this exercise more challenging, hold your arms across your chest or close your eyes.

Weighing All the Factors

After a side-by-side review, we believe that Med Spec’s ASO ankle stabilizer is the best ankle brace for rolling ankles. Pairing supportive straps, laces, and an elastic cuff, it offers everything you need to keep your ankles stable as you go about your activities. Following in a close second are Zamst’s strong support ankle brace and Vive’s ankle brace for men and women, each with their own unique features.