brace or tape?

[bugandbee]

My dd sprained her ankle a few weeks ago. She's just been released from the doctor to train - yay!. I want to get a brace/support for her to give that ankle some extra support. I bought her the ASO brace, but she said it was slippery on the beam. Do you any of you have experience with this brace or have any others that you suggest? Or should we just use tape? Thanks!

 

[10.0]

Did they doc say to use something to support it? You don't want her ankle to become weak from being dependant on taping or a brace. A brace offers more predictable support as tape jobs can vary and tape gets expensive, but I have seem people do both, I guess what ever she feels confortable in, you can always buy a roll of tape and try it.

 

[flipandtwist]

I used tape when I sprained my ankle as it was healing up. I loved it, because it wasn't slippery, and it stretched out and wasnt that tight. I tried different braces but none of them worked for me. Good luck with healing 100%!

 

[gymnastjess]

you could use the brace and put tape on the bottom so it is not slippery on the beam. i always sprain my right ankle and i find braces very good i haven't hurt my ankle in months

 

[Billy]

My DD is currently dealing with a sprained ankle. Doc put her in a brace, ibuprofen twice daily and physical therapy to strengthen it twice weekly (in addition to daily exercises). She's doing fine with it but she did have the slippery problem on beam. So, she takes the brace off for beam then puts it back on for everything else. She hasn't had any problem doing that and her ankle is feeling "great."

 

[bogwoppit]

My dd sprained her ankle a few weeks ago. She's just been released from the doctor to train - yay!. I want to get a brace/support for her to give that ankle some extra support. I bought her the ASO brace, but she said it was slippery on the beam. Do you any of you have experience with this brace or have any others that you suggest? Or should we just use tape? Thanks!

IF her doc recommends the brace you should stick to it or go and see a sport therapsit to discuss alternatives. A good tape job for a spain is quite complicated and involves more than just tape, think pre warp, and does need to be applied correctly. I know I have been there, I can now do a great tape job, but it took a while!

 

[bugandbee]

Thanks for all of the info and great suggestions!

After 2 weeks in a boot, the doc sent her back to gym with a neoprene brace that she was to wear for a week. Then he said she was free to train full-out after that week without anything. I talked with the coaches and my PT - we all agreed that a brace would be helpful. I asked the doc and he wrote a prescription for the ASO brace - at my request. Right now she's wearing basically just an elastic sleeve (ace brace) or tape. She likes both of those, so we might just stick with that. I'm being the worrywort mom and trying to prevent injury. Her coaches have given her some strengthening exercises, too. She is doing those. I agree - I don't want her to become reliant on a brace and not strengthen the ankle back up. I just get nervous when I hear sprain and growth plate in the same sentence.

 

[gym law mom]

Just my thought, but have her start to wean out of the brace. Wear it for vault and tumbling, but start to take it off for bars and beam. Don't know what level she is but if she's doing compulsories, the ankle can probably handle the dismounts.

Too much time in the brace causes the muscles and ligaments to weaken since there is artificial support and can also lead to her having a slightly altered gait. Make sure she ices the ankle after practice and takes ibuprofen IF its achy. See how she does without the brace on 2 events and then start backing off on the other 2.

 

[bugandbee]

I like that idea! She's a level 4 and is 8 years old. She did her beam dismount for the first time since the injury last night with just the little ace brace. She said she felt a little twinge, but that's it. She has a really high pain tolerance, as most of our girls do. Still, that's way better than it was! Flipflops and front handsprings don't seem to hurt at all.

 

[cher062]

When my DD hurt her ankle this is the one from walgreens that we got

Futuro Infinity Precision Fit Ankle Support | Walgreens

It is adjustable so you can make it fit any foot and any tightness. It goes more around the arch so the heel and ball of foot are not covered so not so much slipping.