Ankle injuries in sports are a persistent challenge, affecting athletes across all levels, often underestimated and can lead to persistent issues and increased vulnerability to subsequent injuries.
On one hand they cause long downtimes, on the other hand circumstances like matches, self-motivation and staff team require a fast return to sports considering that an early return to sports could potentially increase the risk for a re-injury.
The study on returning to work after a lateral ankle injury
We conducted a study in which we investigated the extent to which a return to sport can be accelerated with our ankle support The BetterGuard.
Tape and normal braces compared to The BetterGuard
During rehabilitation athletic taping is often used aiming to stabilize and protect the ankle at early stage despite the known limitations of losing most of the protective effect after a few minutes. Also, external ankle supports have been suggested to back the outcomes.
Two young sub-elite soccer teams used ankle brace including adaptive technology in the rehabilitation phase of acute ankle injuries instead of their routine of using athletic taping. The other procedures like for example rehabilitation protocol and supervision were the same.
The BetterGuard supports the return to play
Surprisingly, the teams reported on average a 54% faster return to sports of the players using the adaptive ankle supports with Betterguards technology providing a high range of motion but limited inversion in case of critical movements.
No new injuries with The BetterGuard during the follow-up period
Furthermore, during the follow-up period, no re-injuries became apparent in the group wearing the adaptive braces. The adaptive ankle brace received commendations for comfort, freedom of movement, and an overall positive user experience.
She offers an enhanced user experience, potentially positively influencing compliance and, consequently, rehabilitation outcomes.
Conclusion: Faster return to play thanks to The BetterGuard
In conclusion, this exploration could be a paradigm shift in ankle support during rehabilitation.
The initial findings suggest that the adaptive ankle brace might be the catalyst for expediting recovery and providing unparalleled support during the crucial rehabilitation phase.
Further investigations are required to support the initial findings, but the results are promising and expected to be transferable to different sports.
