Hyperdunks have protected my ankles. I'd recommend them. They stop my ankles from rolling. I can think of several times where a serious sprain was averted because of my shoes.
I agree. I have a bad left ankle and these shoes have been the best. On top of that, the best brace I have worn in terms of mobility and added protection has been the Adidas ones. I have a box of those standard braces and I hated that it felt like I couldn't move. These fit on like a sock and add support right on the ball of your ankle on the outside. I have recommended them to a ton of people and they love them. http://www.amazon.com/adidas-Adizer...&qid=1410920088&sr=8-1&keywords=adizero+brace
just wear an ankle brace at ALL times...doesnt matter what kind of intensity you are going at. Ive sprained my ankles at least 20 times.....wear the braces and i dont think ive ever sprained it with them on. I also sprained them rebounding about 90% of the time.....im 6'3 though so i got to rebound cuz all the manlets wont.
Very real ankle advice from an old man. When I was playing a lot of basketball as a kid, I sprained my ankles a lot (usually landing on some floor-bound dufus's foot). I had a doctor tell me to strengthen my ankles as follows. 1. Find a big jar of marbles. 2. Pour the marbles out on the thickest carpet/rug you can find. 3. Like some kind of miserable ape, pick the marbles up with your toes, one by one, and put them back in the jar. 4. repeat, over and over. Once I started that routine, I *never* sprained an ankle again. I know part of that is luck, but my ankles were seriously stronger after all the ape work.
Good stuff. I have a drill, too. ^ In High School, after I twisted mine lightly playing goalie in soccer, coach Van Horn told me to walk on twisted ankles while the ball was away. I did it so much never twisted my ankle in my cleats EVER again.
The latest scientific studies on this suggest that as long as you have a well made basketball shoe with good support, it doesn't matter if it is high or low top. Neither made a significant difference in preventing severe sprains in the studies conducted. Ankle braces can help, but if you have a severe sprain that force has to go some where, so instead of spraining your ankle, the force may transfer to your ACL or another part of your leg preventing one injury and causing a different one. High tops do a better job preventing minor sprains, but the range of motion that low tops give helps strengthen your ankles when they are not injured, which in the long run can be more beneficial. Shoes that give you motion control and as much stability at the heel as possible is more important than high or low top.
Maybe you're just unlucky and keep rolling it, possibly from playing against guys who don't play basketball much (they're the ones who tend to get right under you and don't leave any landing space). I wouldn't suggest relaying on anything like tape or shoes until you're sure your ankle is working well. Otherwise you're just adding support to a possibly weak joint, which makes it weaker, not stronger. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/2OOJ9AQ1AEg?list=UUV2W3taFgCPvz3hhcque_ow" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Those shoes are the greatest. The firmness at the high-top is just fantastic. Get high tops. Lace them incredibly tight. If it is a concern, tape them correctly and wear a brace on top of that. The best braces are the one that you can lace for tightness, and lace them tight (but not uncomfortable). Somebody I know very well was able to play a year of college ball on some torn ligs with this strategy. It is doable. Ice that baby a lot (after activity or well before, you don't want it to be numb). Use a tens machine if possible with heat. You can heat it a bit before play. In addition, it is important to practice situations where the ankle could roll. For example, practice jumping as if you were finishing a layup without the ball, and focus on your landing. Work on defensive sliding: slide in diagonals with quick but graceful direction changes. Also, move your feet in place and flip your hips back in forth. This will also improve your defensive ability, obviously. However, if you work on the grace, it will greatly improve landing. Also, make sure not to lean one way or another when shooting a jumper. Stretch. If you are well-stretched, your body can have more mobility and respond better to awkward situations. Sounds like more than it is. Pick and choose as you wish, and you can message me if you want more. Edit: double-socking is also helpful. Double Edit: ankle rotations before playing is helpful (rotate foot in circle while on your toe). You can also google ankle-strengthening exercises with a band.
