Answered by on Monday, June 1, 2009
at
2:44 PM
filed under
fitness
postings
Neither sleeves or wraps will provide enough mechanical support to protect your ankle from injury. That's not to say that they're useless—they may provide increased proprioception, or sensory feedback of what the ankle joint is doing in space, so you may be less likely to put your ankle in a position in which it might get sprained—i.e., not landing on the outside of the foot when jumping. Having your ankle taped by a certified athletic trainer can provide some actual support for your ankle, but unfortunately, the tape stretches after about 15 minutes. A better choice is an ankle brace that laces up or has Velcro straps that can be retightened during activity.