Ankle Support

Ankle and foot injuries are painful! We can help you reduce that pain or prevent the injury altogether. Whether you’re dealing with inflammation, Plantar Fasciitis, tendonitis or just want to protect yourself from injury, compression sleeves offer ankle support that will help keep you mobile. Plus, we’ve made comfort a high priority. Our signature ankle support sleeve designs feature silicone gel inserts for custom support and we use only high-quality copper-infused materials that help eliminate sweat and odor so you stay fresh and comfortable all day long.

An ankle compression sleeve and an ankle brace both provide support to ligaments and muscles, but there are quite a few differences between them. Also, an ankle support that contains copper is often referred to as a copper ankle brace, but it’s usually a sleeve.

2 Main Differences in Ankle Support Products

1. Ankle braces are for injury recovery
2. Ankle sleeves help prevent injuries

Ankle Braces

Ankle support braces are normally worn when there’s an existing injury. They help prevent further damage to ankle ligaments and muscles and also help with recovery.

Braces are made for people who suffer or have suffered a serious ankle injury such as: ankle sprain (an injury to the ligaments), ankle strain (a stretching or tearing of muscle or tendon), and ankle fracture (a break in a bone), or other similar injuries to tendons and cartilage. Ankle braces are usually made of neoprene with additional support such as metallic hinges.

Ankle Compression Sleeve

While ankle braces basically act like a “substitute ankle,” compression sleeves do not limit or replace the function of a normal ankle. Instead, they’re mainly used for ongoing ankle support to prevent injuries. Ankle support sleeves are often used by people with weaker ankles.

4 Ankle Compression Sleeve Benefits

1. Compression – The most highlighted feature in an ankle sleeve is the compression it provides. Compression restricts muscle oscillation and narrows blood vessels, which translates to less stress on the muscles and faster, more efficient blood flow to and from the ankle area. Muscles, ligaments and tendons endure a lot of stress during rigorous workouts.
2. Faster Recovery – Efficient blood flow is needed to eliminate the waste produced by the muscles (e.g. lactic acid) and to bring oxygen and necessary nutrients to the muscles, which facilitates faster recovery. As a result, you’ll experience reduced discomfort, pain and swelling in just a matter of days.
3. Stability – The compression also reduces muscle vibration and ankle instability, providing you with a more stable foundation. This is very valuable during jumps, twists, and lifts. An ankle compression sleeve offers excellent Achilles tendon support.
4. Great for Warmups – Ankle sleeves serve as a very helpful aid during warmups since they warm and lubricate the joints.

Some studies show ankle support sleeves and lace-up braces can benefit athletic performance. Other studies show compression sleeves help support the ankle during daily activities. So, when and for how long should you wear an ankle compression sleeve? The answer to this question depends on the compression grade of the sleeve.

When You Should Use A High Compression Ankle Sleeve

High compression sleeves such as our NeoAlly® Ankle Sleeves can be used in sports like basketball and intense workouts like weightlifting. This type of ankle support is also good for joint pain relief and quick muscle recovery. However, due to the higher compression, these sleeves can cause discomfort or cut your blood circulation if worn too long.

When You Should Use A Moderate or Low Compression Ankle Sleeve

The moderate or low compression ankle sleeves can be worn for a longer period of time, even overnight. Our Uptofit® Copper Ankle Sleeve, which combines copper with compression, provides moderate compression to the ankle and foot. The added benefit of copper prevents odor because of its anti-microbial properties.