Ankle support.

[Spike Taylor]

Thanks again guys, all healed up and ready to rock, except its bloody winter now. I'll just ahve to go on the Uni snowboard trip instead!

Spike.

[Spike Taylor]

Thanks for the great advice, I'm young so I will do my therapy to make sure its not a problem when I'm older. A mate from the volleyball club at Uni has some wicked cool braces and hes going to get some for me, thanks for the links too, thats champion!

Spike.

[Tony Peters]

I've had a bad ankle for 20 years...I folded my front ankle landing a Stalefish air off a launch ramp when I was young and dumb. For the last 7-8 years I've worn a S-One ankle stablizer whenever I skate park, slide or slalom, only downhilling and cruising do I leave it off.

as far as rehab I have tried everything I pretty much stumped my Physical Therapist, though I did get a free Rolo balance board (medical version of Indo) out of it. I try to spend at least 20-30 minutes on it 4-5 times a week and I swim 1-2 miles with fins 3 times a week that keeps my strength up but I can still feel the weakness in the joint

[Earl Cephas]

After years of ankle problems and trying just about everything short of surgery to stabilize them, finally got to "pain and worry free". Claude is spot on with the therapy and rebuilding exercises - as simple as rubber surgical tubing and the correct exercises. Tape and extreme support measures can keep the pain away but they actually inhibit the "strengthening" of the joint area and don't allow you to fully heal. Fine line between allowing enough freedom of movement and injury prevention and the brace that worked for me was the Active Ankle brace - fits in most shoes, allows plenty of motion to let you strengthen the area, and still provides just enough support to keep the loose ligaments in their place until you can build the strength back to tighten them up. Spent 20 years in high top shoes, tape, you name it; wore this brace for a couple years (whether they hurt or not); and have been pain free in low tops for at least five years (knock on wood). Hope this helps and good luck.

http://www.activeankle.com/

[Claude Regnier]

Spike! Sorry to read about the ankle injury. It will be fine if you give it time and take care of it. I recommend you either do some therapy or at the very least do some research on re-building exercises and get to it.

Is it in a cast? If not then, keep (mobility) it moving with support. Use Ice & Heat or which ever one you would like. After I injured mine in 2004 (June), I rehabbed it and race in August then the Sept or Oct (worlds). It wasn’t great nor pain free but it do-able.

I never bought a brace. I used sports tape. I’m sure you can find the proper taping method on the internet. It will add all the support you need. Spend some time on the rehab. It will be worth it in the long term. Believe me when I say I’ve had a few injuries. My ankle injury finally became mostly pain free racing in mid 2006.

Ankle braces-http://www.ankleshop.com/categories.asp?cat=592 – The Kallassy Ankle Support Lace Up is similar to the one that I picked up or my son (both ankles). I think the Royce Exoform may be a better choice (make sure sizing is right) as the Kallassy didn’t last more then 6 months.

PS-If you don’t rebuild it it will never really get better.

Good Luck with it.

[Spike Taylor]

Anyone got experience of ankle braces that give you support slaloming? Torn ankle ligaments mean I'm out of the game for a bit, but want some support when I come back.
Cheers,
Spike.