How to Strengthen Your Ankle: A Guide for Athletes

For this reason, the ankles are of great importance to most athletes, because a high degree of balance and mobility can only be achieved through secure stability and good strength in and around the ankle joints.

Athletes strive for a healthy, high-performing ankle joint. The reality, however, is often the opposite: problems frequently begin with weak ankles. Repeated stress from increased physical exertion in this area makes the ankle joint susceptible to pain, inflammation, and injury.

Fortunately, there are tools athletes can use to strengthen and support their ankles in a variety of ways.

Incrediwear Ankle Sleeve

Below you will learn how the Incrediwear Ankle Sleeve can help prevent injuries, support recovery, and enhance active performance.

How it works

All Incrediwear products consist of a unique fabric infused with tiny semiconductors. Slip on these bandages, and the semiconductors are activated by your body heat in a short time, releasing negatively charged ions onto the skin and deep into your tissue.

This process generates vibrations in the cells, which lead to a whole range of biological benefits. The ankle receives better and faster blood circulation: better blood circulation means a faster lymphatic drainage (lymphatic drainage) and a better supply of oxygen and nutrients to the body area. The result is characterized by a decrease in inflammation, swelling, and pain.

The difference between Incrediwear and compression

So why should you choose an Incrediwear brace instead of a conventional „compression“ bandage? The main reason: while a sleeve or brace that compresses the ankle and its surrounding tissue can temporarily relieve pain, it does so by constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow. Contrary to popular belief, this is not particularly beneficial for your body, as it runs counter to what your immune system is trying to achieve.

Incrediwear does the exact opposite and works together with your natural healing process. Blood circulation is stimulated, giving the cells exactly what they need to repair damaged tissue.

Another important difference between the Incrediwear Ankle Sleeve and a compression ankle wrap is how the two affect your range of motion. A compression bandage compresses the tissue around your ankle, thereby restricting movement in the affected area.

Incrediwear, on the other hand, allows you to maintain a normal range of motion regardless of your current activity. In addition, the material is highly breathable, which ensures maximum comfort in every situation.

The special features of the Incrediwear Ankle Sleeve

The Incrediwear Ankle Sleeve extends from the middle of the shin down to the midfoot. This makes it ideal for supporting the ankle, shin, heel, and midfoot.

Thanks to its thin profile, the Incrediwear Ankle Sleeve can be easily and comfortably worn in any training shoe, molded cleat, turf shoe, sneaker, cycling shoe, hiking boot, ski boot, etc. In the colder months, it also fits very well under socks, sweatpants, and leggings.

The size graduations ensure an individual wearing experience. Matching your athletic wardrobe, you also have the choice between black and gray bandages.

Many athletes find sweaty and dirty clothes uncomfortable. Another great advantage of the Incrediwear Ankle Sleeve is that it can simply be washed with your regular laundry at up to 40^o C; it can be washed along with other items, and no special cleaning procedures are required. 

When can I wear the ankle brace?

One of the reasons the Incrediwear Ankle Sleeve works so beneficially is the ability to wear the bandage around the clock. Whether you are working out at the gym, resting in bed at home, or performing on the field, the Ankle Sleeve supports your body in every situation. It is even so comfortable that many athletes wear it overnight while sleeping.

If you are active, the increased blood flow improves the performance and resilience of the ankle joint and its surrounding area. If you rest, the increased blood circulation accelerates the recovery mechanisms.

Another advantage of the Incrediwear Ankle Sleeve is that it can be used for more than just injuries. Many athletes also wear it on healthy ankles as a preventive performance measure or to prevent or relieve general muscle soreness, which often occurs after strenuous activities.

Common Ankle Injuries

So, what kinds of issues can the Incrediwear Ankle Sleeve help with? Here are some of the most common problems athletes face:

Sprains

Sprains are very common in athletes and occur when a ligament (the tissue that connects bones) is stretched beyond its normal range, causing the tiny fibers that make up the ligament to partially or completely tear. If you

Ankle sprains generally cause pain and inflammation. They should be treated promptly to prevent further damage. Are you currently dealing with an ankle sprain? Then we also recommend our blog post about properly bandaging ankles. An examination and treatment by a physical therapist is recommended to accelerate the recovery process and prevent further sprains, as people frequently sprain their ankle again after an injury, emphasizes Katelyn Panawash, Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy (NCS).

Strains and tendinitis

When a tendon (the tissue connecting muscle to bone) or a muscle is overstretched, it results in a strain or overload. As Tendinitis refers to inflammation of a tendon caused by overuse or trauma. „You may be familiar with Achilles tendinitis. That’s the tendon that connects the calf muscles to the foot,“ explains Panawash.

Ankle fractures

The bones around the ankle are also susceptible to fractures. The severity of the injury depends on which bone or bones are affected and how complicated the break is. Fractures in athletes typically occur as a result of a fall or collision.

Which athletes benefit from an ankle brace?

Although the Incrediwear Ankle Sleeve is suitable for all athletes, certain sports and activities definitely require more support in this area than others.

These include, among others:

• Soccer
• Basketball
• Tennis
• Track and field
• Dance
• Mountain Run

Help your ankle get back on its feet!

The ankles are subjected to heavy strain. For elite athletes, the right support is crucial for success. The Incrediwear Ankle Sleeve is the perfect tool to enhance performance and prevent as well as treat injuries.

If you have other problem areas on your body, you should look at the complete Incrediwear collection view for bandages and clothing. Whether ankle, elbow, wrist, back, or knee, Incrediwear has the right brace for every problem.

Sources
Sprained Ankle – Symptoms and Causes | Mayo Clinic
Tendinitis | Johns Hopkins Medicine
Lymphatic Drainage: What Is It? What Benefits Does It Offer? How Is It Performed? | Cleveland Clinic
 

Text was from the blog of www.incrediwear.com Translated into German! | Medically reviewed by Dr. Kate Panawash, PT, NCS, DPT

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