For a lot of people, myself included, ankle braces are indeed necessary. And I don聮t mean a light, elastic-type wrap. I聮m talking about the ballistic-nylon, wrap-around, lace-up models that sell for $30 to $40 (such as the ). If you have a balky ankle, it聮s the only thing that will hold it in place. Not even heavy boots really help that much.
ASO Ankle Brace
ASO Ankle BraceCertainly, a brace takes a lot of strain off your ankle, so I suppose one answer to your question about dependency is, 聯Yes, wearing a brace can reduce your ankle聮s ability to strengthen itself naturally.” But that聮s also not the worst thing in the world. The brace reduces the risk of re-injury, and every time you roll over on your ankle, you reduce the tendons聮 ability to recover. Meanwhile, in consultation with a credible source聴such as your orthopedist or physical therapist, and not someone like, um, me聴you embark on a rigorous in-house or in-gym strengthening program.
My bad ankle is the right one, so that聮s where the brace goes. I聮ve never had a problem with the left ankle, so there聮s no brace there. An ASO brace fits pretty nicely under nearly any footwear; I聮ve worn my very similar brace with probably 15 different boots, from day hikers to plastic mountaineering boots. They聮re made from neoprene and nylon, dry reasonably quickly, and are washable.
So go forth, well-braced, and enjoy the world!
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