How To Improvise An Ankle Brace (2024)

FAQs

How to make a makeshift ankle brace? ›

Fold a foam or self-inflating pad length-wise. Put it under the foot stirrup-fashion, wrap it up either side of the leg, and fasten it tightly. You can cut a foam pad to shape if needed. Any bindings will work; sleeping bag straps, climbing web, tent cord, tape, bandanas or bandages.

Ankle tape can be supportive, but ankle braces are thicker and more rigid which means more support and protection for the ankle and ankle joints. A good ankle brace will mimic the effects of ankle taping using prefabricated sleeves with adjustable straps.

If you wear an orthosis or brace on your feet, ankles or knees, you need to wear some sort of sock underneath it. The sock protects your skin, keeps your skin dry and helps prevent blisters or sores. For the best protection, wear a sock that extends past the top of your brace.

Lace-up braces: Lace-up braces are semi-rigid. They are used to treat mild to moderate ankle sprains. Lace-up braces limit side-to-side and up-and-down movement of the joint. They provide more support than compression braces, and most types will fit into the shoe.

You can also consider ankle braces or taping your ankle for added support. “Both have been shown to be effective to prevent injury, especially for athletes in high-risk sports,” Dr.

Custom Orthotics. Custom orthotics are semi-rigid devices designed to support and comfort your feet. These orthotic devices are crafted with plaster casts custom to the contours of your feet and are designed distinctly for the way you move.

A good ankle brace or support is shaped to perfectly fit the anatomical contours of the foot. If you look at your ankles, you will notice that the inner and outer parts have different shapes.

Hold the loose end of the bandage at the side of your foot. Wrap the bandage around your foot and ankle in a figure-eight pattern once. Then you can put the pad under your anklebone and wrap the bandage around it so it stays in place. Keep wrapping the bandage in a figure eight until you have used all of it.

Start by wrapping the tape twice around the ball of your foot below the toes. Work your way up by wrapping the bandage several times around your foot and ankle in a figure-eight pattern. Keep the bandage taut. Finish by wrapping the bandage twice around your lower leg, a couple of inches above your ankle.

Best Practice for Preventing Ankle Injuries

Comparing the two preventative therapies, they found that wearing an ankle brace was twice as effective for preventing ankle injuries as taping.

What tape is best for ankles? ›

Ankle Injuries: Kinesiology tape is suitable for a wide range of ankle injuries, including ligament sprains, tendonitis, muscle strains, and general ankle instability. It can help relieve pain, reduce swelling, support the muscles, and improve joint proprioception during both athletic activities and everyday movements.

You're very likely to benefit from wearing an ankle brace if you have a significant ankle ligament tear (Grade 2 or 3). (Read more about the grading of ankle ligament tears.) Minor ankle sprains usually don't require a brace, but Grade 2 and 3 sprains can benefit from one.

Wear in Schedule

Begin by wearing the brace two times for one hour the first day. Add one hour to each wearing period until you are comfortable wearing the brace full time during the day and do not experience any red marks or pressure sores on the skin.

Your doctor may be able to tell the severity of your ankle sprain based on the amount of swelling, pain, bruising, and stability. If you have difficulty bearing weight, or tenderness in the bones of the foot and ankle, you may need additional tests to rule out a fracture.

In fact, walking on the sprained ankle can actually improve recovery and stimulate stronger healing of the injured ligaments and tendons. One important thing to keep in mind is that ankle swelling can last 2-3 months after the injury, even if the pain has completely gone away.

Your healthcare professional may say not to put weight on the injured area for 48 to 72 hours. You may need to use crutches or not use the sprained area. A splint or brace also may be helpful at first. Even with an injury such as an ankle sprain, you can often exercise other muscles to keep from losing strength.

Before you know it, your ankle gets bigger and bigger, and it may turn black and blue. To help keep the swelling down, and help your ankle feel better, wrap it with an elastic bandage. You can also use a pad shaped like a horseshoe along with the bandage, if you want to.

Another trick is using a bag of frozen corn or peas so you can wrap the bag around the ankle.