Ankle Support Brace for Basketball

How Do I Stop My Ankle from Hurting When Playing Basketball?

Here are several ways to stop your ankle from hurting when playing basketball:

1. Warm Up and Stretch Properly 

Before starting to play basketball, engage in a warm-up routine that gets your blood flowing and warms up your muscles. You can do light jogging around the court, jumping jacks, or cycling on a stationary bike for a few minutes. This increases the flexibility and responsiveness of your muscles, including those around your ankle, reducing the risk of strains or sudden pulls that could cause pain during play.

2. Strengthen Your Ankle Muscles 

• Calf Raises: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slowly rise onto the balls of your feet, lifting your heels as high as possible. Then lower your heels back down. Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions. You can also perform this exercise while holding onto a support for added stability or do it one leg at a time for a greater challenge. Strong calf muscles help support the ankle and absorb shock during activities such as jumping and landing.
• Ankle Eversion and Inversion Exercises: Sit with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Use a resistance band looped around the ball of your foot and gently pull it to the side (eversion) and then to the other side (inversion). Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions for each movement. These exercises strengthen the muscles on the sides of the ankle that are responsible for controlling side-to-side movements, providing more stability to the ankle joint.

3. Use Ankle Braces or Supports 

• Ankle Compression Sleeves: These provide gentle compression around the ankle, helping to improve blood circulation and offer some support. The compression can help reduce swelling and inflammation that occur during play, making your ankle feel more stable. An ankle brace compression sleeve is lightweight and comfortable to wear, allowing you to move freely while still getting some protection.
• Lace-Up Ankle Braces: Lace-up braces offer more customizable support, as you can adjust the tightness to suit your needs. Lace up ankle braces typically have additional stabilizing features like plastic stays or heel cups that help limit excessive side-to-side and up-and-down movements of the ankle. If you have a history of ankle sprains or feel that you need extra stability during basketball, a lace-up brace can be a great option.
• Aircast or Pneumatic Ankle Braces: These braces have air cells that can be inflated to adjust the level of compression and support. Aircast ankle splint is excellent for providing both stability and shock absorption. You can customize the amount of support based on the intensity of your play or the condition of your ankle. For example, if you have a slightly weakened ankle or are coming back from an injury, you can inflate the air cells to a higher level for more support during a game.