Top 10 Volleyball Ankle Braces Reviewed and Rated

Comfort features include ample gel pads lining the foot areas, and a tongue-shaped like the natural curve of your ankle and foot. The brace keeps everything aligned without any pinching or cramping.

Performance level 3, according to our research, means the 849 gives medium support and stability for sprained ligaments, strained muscles, and shaky joints from the moderate to the major range. You can wear this volleyball brace for temporary pain or for short to long term recovery from a medically treated injury. Either way, you will feel less pain and be protected from any re-injury.

There are not heating pads or elements inside the brace, but the laces and uppers work together to provide natural warming via compression. The heat and compression will encourage your muscles to mend. An open heel allows air to circulate, stopping foul odors and bacteria growth along with the antimicrobial liners.

The brace comes in either black or white if you are into matching volleyball braces with your gym sneakers. Perhaps the best thing about the Shock Doctor 849 is that it fits either foot, so you only need to buy one instead of a matching pair.

Athletic tape has long been a standby of any well-equipped locker room. It helps hold everything in place while muscles heal. McDavid's brace cleverly replicates athletic tape placement with its built-in figure 6 pattern. The added top strap gives you increased compression.

You can also adjust this brace without having to take your shoes. This would come in handy if you need, say, a position change or less compression during an outside walk. The tongue is ventilated to let your ankles breathe and inhibit both odors and bacteria. Generous liner padding lends even more stability while also making for a tighter, firmer fit.

Perhaps best of all, McDavid's claims of a favorable research study and true and verifiable. In 2010 the University of Wisconsin, Madison, study showed that the school's basketball players suffered fewer injuries over a season when they wore McDavid brand braces. If you want to know more about this and several other studies, we've linked McDavid's study page in the sources at the end of this buying guide.

Although anyone playing an ankle intense sport can benefit from the Bracoo, it is specifically engineered for injury recovery. If you suffer from a muscle strain, sprained ligament, or compromised joints after ankle or leg surgery, you will get a lot of mileage out of this sleeve. It is ideal for people with arthritis, too.

The brace has an open heel design to let you move freely and participate in your favorite activities. You get protection for your Achilles tendon, plantar flexion, and. of course, the ankle joint. Straps are a crisscross pattern. They don't have anchor points, meaning you can stick them anywhere on the neoprene.

This sleeve also fits either foot and will accommodate an arch of up to 10 inches.

The crisscrossing straps form a figure eight, ending behind the single massive velcro ankle strap. Making the ASO even more formidable, the open heel features laces to give you the tightest fit possible. This is a snug sleeve that will not come loose or cause problems.

The sleeve is made of nylon, and Med Spec (the makers of the ASO) promise it is ballistic grade. Just in case those laces think of coming loose, the cuff closure has an elastic lining as a final means of holding everything together. The sleeve will fit either your left or right foot.

The Med Spec ASO is safe to wash in the machine on the gentle setting. It cannot go in the drier. To get the best fit, Med Spec suggests measuring the circumference of your ankle close to the heel.

The hallmark of the wrap-around features is its ability to control swelling. Sprained ankles, as well as ankle surgery, are often the culprits behind swollen ankles. This sleeve makes the swelling less painful and more manageable with silicone gel pads that surround your ankle. This is an exceptionally stable brace.

It is also easy to adjust, thanks to front and lateral straps that open like car doors to grip the feet according to your comfort level. The design is aimed at tightening the fit as swelling decreases. An additional bottom strap, or stirrup, provides additional immobilizing properties. The unusual closure system, which looks nothing like our other picks, is specifically for pain-free application to freshly injured ankles.

This is really on par with a medical device, and may actually be overkill for the casual volleyball player. The price reflects this. Still, for a sleeve that will grow and shrink along with your injury and recovery, the Bioskin wrap-around model is tough to beat.

Athletes with long histories of troubled ankles will appreciate the extra support and strength the A60 grants. It has an open heel but wraps all the way around the bottom of the foot in a stirrup style. This means more stability and safety.

Another interesting feature is the side stabilizers. They sit with the ankle between them. The stabilizers are molded at 60-degree angles and help prevent both rolled ankles and sprains. Aircast made the sleeve light enough that you get a full restriction-free range of movement, so your ankle and foot can bend while you play and move.

This is the first on our list that only has one strap. There are no crisscrosses, figure 8s, or old school laces. The one ankle strap holds everything in place. Those seeking the heaviest possible stability and immobilization will want to try something else.

Zamst, a Japanese company, makes its bread and butter with medical devices. Turning their eyes to consumer braces, they've made one to exacting specs. The patented Exo-Grid inner liner material features rigid stabilizers to prevent rolling, with the outer synthetic material keeping the skin from making contact with skin.

In addition, Zamst uses a technology called Grip Tech in its lining that prevents the brace from moving or sliding around once it is strapped on. This reduces friction and keeps you from having to stop and readjust the sleeve during a game. Zamst even says the sleeve keeps your two lower leg bones closer together where they join the ankle. This means no sprains high on the ankle.

Grip tech is located on the underside of the two lower straps. The two straps form an X on top of your foot. It's a secure design, further helped out by the not-too-huge ankle cuff with the Zmask logo.

The stitching means you get both vertical and horizontal compression for maximum swelling control, gentle therapeutic hear, and immobilization as you heal from your sprain. The brace prevents new injuries, too. This is one of those braces that is gentle enough to wear most of the time, even if you do not currently have an injured ankle.

Some braces, like compression shorts, will leave red marks or indentations on the skin. These are inconvenient and may even be painful, especially after a day in the sun. So Mueller used soft material that will not bite into the skin. You'll be trouble-free all day, and your feet will stay healthy thanks to the breathable design and antimicrobial material built into the fabric.

The 4-Way features extra length to better fit your ankle and is also shaped and sewn in such a way that it conforms to the natural shape of a foot.

Adidas says its stylish, stripey little wrap is stronger than sports tape, up to three times stronger. It goes on tight, so make sure you are ready for something so snug. Non-slip material, especially on the bottom piece, keeps you on your feet and also somewhat improves buoyancy. You will actually feel a bit lighter with this brace on.

Fabric is moisture-wicking, which also helps with rubbing and friction. Sturdy, physical therapy style side stabilizers make sure you won't roll your ankle. The Adizero is super versatile, too--it fits men's shoe sizes 4 through 18, or women's 6 through 20. The wraps are labeled small all the way to XX-large, with three shoe sizes for each letter size.

The one drawback to the Adizero that we found is that it isn't sold in pairs, and isn't interchangeable. You'd have to buy a left wrap and the right one if you wanted to protect both ankles.

Quality manufacturing provides whole ankle support and gentle compression. The brace is rated for ligament tears, rollover prevention, and active sprain healing. Velpeau also promises to manage swelling, and give you a faster recovery by powering up your blood circulation.

Tough plastic stabilizers act as splints on either side of the brace. They are comfortable and won't cause you inconvenience, because the splints are designed to match your anatomy. There is a heel strap to adjust the fit, and you also get both a high and low ankle strap for serious stability. The inside is lined with gel and foam pads for a form-fitting experience.

The brace isn't exactly invisible, but it has a low profile so you can wear it with regular clothing if you'd like. Velpeau offers a six-month money-back guarantee when you buy the brace.