Ankle Braces vs. Ankle Taping: Which is Better for Support and Stability?"

Both ankle brace and ankle taping are used to provide stability and support to your ankle joint especially while performing any physical activity.

What to use and when depends on the needs of the individual. This need can be differentiated on the basis of the cause of injury, part of the ankle injured, the intensity of trouble and or the activity being undertaken.

This article will help you differentiate between the two of them. Not only this it will make it easier for you to choose one of them according to the benefits they offer.

Talking about an Ankle brace

●     Convenience

Ankle braces are easy to use as compared to Ankle taping. This is because the braces can be adjusted during the activity according to your comfort and requirement while the taping ones are non-adjustable.

●     Reusability

They are cost-effective. As with the use of prefabricated sleeves, they can work as taping also. Besides this, they work for a longer duration, unlike tapes that are not that much durable.

●     Protection

The rigidity and thickness of ankle braces provide much more support and stability which is far many times that of tape.

●     Consistency

They maintain their feature of providing support to the ankle during activity while the tape often loosens after some time when the user starts making extreme moves.

Now let's talk about Ankle taping

●     Customization

A physiotherapist has the knowledge to apply ankle tape in a specific way. This way can be in accordance with the severity of pain, the ligament which has to be supported or the type of activity being performed.

This means a single tape can be used in various ways to help you out regarding ankle injuries or their prevention.

●     Breathability

Ankle tape offers better breathability and less occurrence of excessive sweat buildup.

●     Cost

They are not as expensive as the braces. The money you have to invest for buying a quality ankle tape would be highly less compared with the cost of a quality ankle brace.

●     Low profile

They are very light weight and occupy less surface area. Therefore, they can easily fit into any shoe.

Face-off between an ankle brace and ankle tape.

●     Ankle braces provide more consistency, hence in case of severe injury, they are prioritised upon tape.

●     When considering comfort and fit, both are exactly on the same page. Some find ankle braces to be more comfortable while for others the ankle tape being easily worn with any shoe makes them more comfortable.

●     As mentioned before, taping requires expertise. Hence if you are not familiar with the binding pattern of ankle tape then they are not a good option for you. While ankle braces are easy to wear and have no such technique of usage that makes them a difficult task.

In conclusion, both of them are reliable for your ankle support. If you are not sure which is the correct one for you. Then you should definitely consult a healthcare expert or a physiotherapist who can easily guide you to choose the best for your needs.