Article Last Updated: December 1, 2024
Choosing the best beach volleyball ankle brace will depend on your specific needs.
If you’ve injured your ankle, a light, low profile brace will be your best bet.
To prevent an injury, a mechanical brace will offer more support. We put a lot of time into researching this topic.
This is a tricky topic because there are so many factors that can affect the outcome.
The list below should help to ensure that you don’t get injured for something we could have helped you prevent.
When looking for an ankle brace, beach volleyball is one of the most rigorous sports out there.
Please pick carefully, and stay on your “A Game.” It is recommended to warm up first to prevent injuries as well.
Reinforced side stabilizers and contoured arch design quickly reduces pain and pressure on the ankle due to various injuries.
Comes fully equipped with internal gel cushions, a pre-curved tongue to offer stability, support, and alignment all wrapped into one convenient package
Aims to protect and minimize the risk of injuries for athletes of every sport and every level of play.
Tips to Prevent Injuries
- Strength Training Techniques:
The help of a personal trainer or professional is your best bet. If you do not have access to one, here is a link to some exercise tips.
- Warm Ups:
You should warm up before taking the court. Stretching and light aerobic exercises are both ideal for injury prevention.
NOTE: If you are playing with preexisting injuries, you shouldn’t wear your brace all the time. Instead, try exercising with the brace off.
Use the brace when playing, where most injuries occur. This will prevent further injury and ankle fatigue.
A serious injury can incapacitate you for weeks, or even longer.
Hopefully, our expertise on this topic will help you stay out of harm’s way!
Now that we have discussed how to select the type of brace you need, let get started with the lineup!
Top 5 Best Ankle Braces for Beach Volleyball
1. Venom Neoprene Ankle Brace (Voted the Best Ankle Brace for Beach Volleyball)
PROS
- High-quality design by a team of athletes
- Excellent support for preventative and curative protection
- Comfortable and durable
- Highly recommended by previous owners
CONS
- Sock ankle braces tend to wear out quicker than mechanical ones
The Venom Neoprene Ankle Brace takes the number one spot on our list, hands down.
It makes the perfect brace for injuries and is also a perfect choice to prevent them.
The Venom Neoprene gives you superior ankle support while allowing full flexibility.
This is an obstinate quality if you are suffering from pain from an injury. Customers are boasting that the Venom Neoprene offers unsurpassed support and freedom.
As a result, the Venom Neoprene Ankle Brace comes with the highest customer ratings we have ever seen.
Level of Comfort
Venom Sports Fitness has designed this brace to fit in your shoe comfortably.
This brace offers a combination of side stabilizers and high-quality neoprene.
What this means to you, is that it will not restrict you’re playing abilities, while it offers great protection.
Design Quality
The reinforced side stabilizers on the Venom ankle brace offers protection from pressure.
Also, the rigidity of this design will reduce pain from previous injuries. This is a well thought out design made for athletes.
Its design is good for both preventative and curative ankle protection.
For this reason, this brace will also make an excellent gymnastics ankle support.
Cost and Value
The Venom Neoprene Ankle Brace offers a very competitive price.
Similar models will cost you over $50.
Venom Sports Fitness is a reputable brand, created by former tennis teammates.
This brace is unsurpassed in terms of value and cost, and it has become a favorite on Amazon.
2. Shock Doctor 849 Ultra Gel Lace Ankle Support
PROS
- Excellent preventative or curative ankle brace.
- Well thought out design for comfort and protection.
- Proprioception – This type of protection tells the muscles when the contract to protect themselves.
- Backed by a trusted manufacturer’s warranty.
CONS
- This product contains latex. If you have known allergies and irritation occurs, discontinue use.
Coming in at number two we’ve got the Shock Doctor 849 Ultra Gel Lace Ankle Support.
This brace will offer you soft tissue support with joint alignment. Also, the therapeutic design allows ample blood flow and unrestricted movement.
This brace will accommodate moderate injuries, while it comfortably cradles the foot.
Likewise, this brace will make an excellent preventative brace. Shock Doctor is also a brand trusted by pro athletes worldwide.
Level of Comfort
The Shock Doctor 849 comes with a full range of features.
Designed for comfort, the gel cushions and pre-curved tongue have customers bragging.
The 849 has high customer ratings and is an Amazon favorite as well.
Design Quality
The Shock Doctor 849 comes with a compression wrap lacing loop for added support.
It also delivers an anatomical footbed and convenient finger tabs.
The adjustable fit adds a therapeutic quality and warmth for healing.
Cost and Value
The price of the Shock Doctor 849 is accommodating to any budget. The value is very well laid out in quality specs.
You are not going to find many braces with this many features for this price.
Shock Doctor 849 Ultra Gel Lace Ankle Support
3. Active Ankle T2
PROS
- With its EXO Grid feature, this ankle brace provides the user with one of the best support structures and has the ability to automatically correct any form of lateral stability and rolling ankles.
- The ankle brace has an I Fit feature that allows it to fit on every individual. This brings comfort and variable compression depending on what the user’s ankle requires
- The GRIP tech anti-migration technological feature that the ankle brace uses prevents the ankle from rolling inwards or outwards. Moreover, its anterior, lateral and medical support allows it to be more comfortable and offer better protection.
CONS
- Can be extremely uncomfortable and may cause numbness
Active Ankle T2 fits on either foot and is carefully designed for ultimate protection.
Moreover, the Action Ankle T2 will give you a full range of motion and performance.
This mechanical brace offers a quick fit and is fully adjustable to boot.
The T2 offers an anatomical bilateral hinge, and custom molded EVA padding for comfort.
Level of Comfort
The reviews were very high except for a few people that aren’t used to mechanical braces.
Other than that, the T2 has nothing but great reviews across the board. For support and protection, the T2 sits at the top of its class.
Design Quality
The Active Ankle T2 is a top-quality, well-designed ankle brace.
It is designed to minimize the risk of an ankle injury, without getting in the way of performance.
Cost and Value
The Active Ankle T2 is priced to accommodate any budget. Mechanical braces are known to last longer than sock braces or wraps.
Think of it this way. You get a mechanical brace that is safer, more protective, and more secure.
You get that for the price of a sock brace, and it last longer. The cost and value are unbeatable.
4. DONJOY Stabilizing Speed Pro
PROS
- Excellent design quality
- Above average customer reviews
- Made by a trusted name in sports protective equipment
- Fully adjustable for a personalized fit
CONS
- None to speak of.
DONJOY Stabilizing Speed Pro Ankle Support Brace offers a lightweight, low profile design that easily fits inside your shoe.
This brace is built for performance and durability, with excellent strapping. This means it stays on and gives you a personalized fit.
This brace will offer a removable articulated fit with proprioception (body position awareness.)
The DONJOY Stabilizing Speed Pro also offers a universal fit, allowing you to wear it on either foot.
Level of Comfort
DONJOY has been designing quality braces and protective gear since 1978.
This ankle brace will offer unsurpassed comfort and quality.
In an exact quote from one of the comments on Amazon, “aaaahhhhh!” I suppose you could assume this means that you will be fine in terms of comfort.
Design Quality
The DONJOY Stabilizing Speed Pro ankle support brace is designed with the utmost quality.
Made of 800D ballistic nylon and reinforced eyelet areas, this brace is built to last and very comfortable.
Bottom line… a very well thought out design by a very good manufacturer.
Cost and Value
The DONJOY stabilizing Speed Pro is priced very competitively.
For the features you get, and the reviews that it has, you can’t lose. This is a very high-quality product for a STEAL of a deal.
DONJOY Stabilizing Speed Pro Review
5. ASO Ankle Stabilizer
PROS
- li>Made by a respected industry leader that designs top-quality products.
- Packed with features for a low price.
- Excellent customer reviews.
CONS
- Again, none to mention.
The ASO Ankle Stabilizer is priced on the lower end, with high-end features.
This ballistic nylon boot will offer durability and strength.
Meanwhile, you will enjoy unsurpassed comfort and a bilateral design.
The elastic cuff enclosure enhances support and gives you a personalized fit. Stabilizing straps form a figure-8 to fully protect the ankle.
Level of Comfort
According to customer’s that have tried many different braces, you won’t find a better feeling brace.
It looks like ASO has pulled out all the stops here.
Design Quality
In terms of quality, this ankle brace from ASO can’t be beaten. You get features with this ankle brace that you normally only find in models over $50.
You can tell that ASO spent a lot of time designing this brace for protection.
Cost and Value
Priced on the lower end, with customers bragging across the board.
The value is, for the most part, unmatched. You will get a ton of value in this ASO Ankle Stabilizer.
Summary
For a beach volleyball ankle support, we recommend going with your best instinct. Sock models can lead to sprains and weakened ankles.
In the end, you may have to go through one or two styles of braces before you find the one that is right for you.
You may even have to get one for preventative and one for when you injure yourself. With this in mind, it could take time, or it could simply take getting used to.
In summary, all five of the braces we have on this list are considered top-of-the-line ankle braces. For this reason, any of our top 5 selections will make the best ankle brace for beach volleyball.
Extra Content and Links:
According to Dynamic Chiropractic, 50-80% of volleyball injuries occur from overuse.
The majority of volleyball injuries occur when jumping. The type of playing surface is also a determining factor in how easy it is to suffer an injury.
External Linking:
Most volleyball athletes prefer a mechanical brace for injuries. But there are a lot of factors that come into play.
The fact is, mechanical braces offer more support. But according to mcvanderbilt.edu, “Neoprene or elastic compression braces are used in aiding the treatment of mild ankle sprains and tendinitis.” (vanderbiltorthapedics.com 2010)
Here is the vanderbilt.edu link:
http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/documents/orthopaedics/files/anklebracing_webbooklet2010.pdf
We know athletes hate to hear this, but we have to tell you anyway. In our research, we did find that it is best to sit out if you’re injured.
Dr. Thomman Karuvilla stated, “If for example, you have a lateral ankle sprain stage 1 to 3, a standard laced up ankle or stirrup ankle brace would suffice.
If its a more severe ankle sprain stage 4 or possible ankle fracture non-displaced, a cam or walker boot is necessary.” (healthtap.com Q&A forum, 2017)
Here is the Dr. Karuvilla link: https://www.healthtap.com/topics/types-of-ankle-braces
