Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of ankle braces on kicking accuracy, speed,
and agility in competitive, nonelite soccer players. We hypothesized that the use
of ankle bracing would significantly decrease performance in soccer-specific
drills immediately after use but not after acclimation to the brace. DESIGN: A
prospective randomized controlled trial. SETTING: University. PARTICIPANTS:
Twenty healthy recreational adult soccer players (5 men and 15 women; mean age,
23 +/- 4.8 years) without a history of lower extremity injury in the past 6
months. All the subjects completed the study. METHODS: The subjects completed a
set of performance measures (ie, accuracy shooting at a target, 40-yard dash,
S180 degrees run, and T test) with an McDavid 199 Lightweight ankle brace (test
subjects) and without an ankle brace (control subjects) during 2 testing sessions
spaced 7-10 days apart. Between the 2 testing sessions, the subjects wore the
ankle brace on at least 4 occasions while participating in athletic activities to
ensure that a learning effect occurred. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Outcomes
included kicking accuracy (accuracy shooting at a target) and speed and agility
(time to complete a 40-yard dash, S180 degrees run, and T test). RESULTS: No
significant difference in performance was found for the accuracy in shooting at a
target, 40-yard dash, S180 degrees run, and T test (P > .05) with and without an
ankle brace during a session and between sessions. CONCLUSIONS: Ankle braces did
not significantly affect performance in speed, agility, or kicking accuracy in
healthy, competitive, recreational soccer athletes.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS