Basketball is a contact sport that involves constant action and collisions. With this never-ending activity, it becomes very difficult to avoid certain injuries, such as ankle sprains. Although these accidents may not be avoided, athletes can reduce the severity of these injuries with proper ankle braces.

An ankle sprain results normally from an accidental twisting the ankle that results in a tear or partial tear of the protective ankle ligaments. These ankle twists cause the ankle to swell and can become quite painful. The pain and tenderness experienced can create difficulties for an athlete to walk or to stand.

Depending on the intensity of the injury, the sprained ankle may range from mild to severe, and the healing process may last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Based on this range of time needed to heal, many athletes may be able to continue to play while others might have to endure a long hiatus from basketball.

To avoid these ankle twists, many basketball players choose to protect themselves with secure ankle braces or by seeking the help of a professional trainer to stabilize their ankles with strong and supportive sport tape.

Before one chooses to use an ankle brace, he or she should first decide if sport tape will suffice, or if the advantages of a good brace are desired.

Sport tape may cost 10% the price of a pair of good ankle braces. Therefore, the basketball player who does not wish to spend much money may select the sporting tape option. It is easily available and can be purchased from a pharmacy or the local sport shop. If sporting tape is purchased on a regular basis, in the long run, the cost of its protection may exceed that of a good ankle brace. One distinct advantage of the sporting tape is that it can be perfectly designed to fit various needs and forms of any foot. However, if the tape is not applied properly, the athlete may experience discomfort or even blisters. Many coaches, such as myself, prefer to use sport tape for acute or new ankle sprains. The tape can offer great stability for a swollen ankle, but after a few hours, the tape will begin to stretch thus, becoming less effective. Therefore, it is important to apply the tape right before playing on the court, or the trainer should reapply additional tap before game play.

Ankle braces are easy to use and can fit to almost any user, regardless of foot form or size. They can give great support to stabilize the ankle. A good brace must be comfortable and prevent the inward rolling of the ankle. They may be purchased with laces, with Velcro, or with a combination of both, depending on the preference of the player. The benefit of a good ankle brace is the quick security it offers without the additional assistance of a trainer to apply them. And, like the sport tape, these braces can be found at the local sport shop or from an online retailer. The advantage from purchasing these braces online is the quick access to websites, that may offer competitive prices for the product of your choosing.

Ultimately, to use tape or an ankle brace relies on the taste of the athlete. Some may trust the sport tape while others prefer ankle braces.

From the local high school basketball team through the prestigious athletes of the NBA, each player must become aware of the risk of injury associated with basketball and should take proper steps to avoid such accidents. One of those steps is to decide, whether or not, to use ankle braces to protect themselves from sprains. This article aims to provide specific tips to help basketball players make a wise choice with regards to foot protection.