In an effort to keep athletes healthy, we look for newer and more advanced braces to prevent joint twisting and pain.
In retrospect it was a quick reaction that may actually cause more pain. Take ankle joints, for example, one of the more commonly sprained and twisted joints. We've seen the appearance of various types of braces to prevent ankles from twisting, but the question that no one seems to be asking is if these braces are actually hurting athletes' joints.
The first problem when people wear high sneakers, tape their ankles or wear an ankle brace is that the nervous system responds by limiting the contribution from the peroneal muscle group. These small muscles rest on the side of the ankle and are responsible for stabilizing the ankle joint during single-leg movements such as cutting. As the peroneal muscles become weaker, the ability to prevent the ankle from rolling decreases as well as the outside ligaments becoming weaker. Want proof? Eighty-five percent of all ankle sprains are lateral ankle sprains: That is, they occur as our foot rolls in. Ever have any ankle sprain? I'm willing to bet, with 85 percent certainty, that it was a lateral ankle sprain.
The second issue applies to tape and braces specifically. Not only do these structures lose their stiff support as people continually move, but they also change the insertion point of muscles that act on the ankle. Any time this occurs people limit the force production potential of the muscle, alter proper functioning patterns and also cause more force distribution to be transferred to the nearest joints.
Instead of the ankle, the joints required for mobility are the knee, and while technically not a main joint, the foot. These structures are forced to compensate and absorb higher levels of force than usual. As with anything else that has to compensate, these joints eventually wear down. A new injury is created in the form of high ankle sprains because people are trying to prevent one.
So how do people make sure that ankles stay healthy in the long term?
Constantly train with single-leg exercises. Single-leg movements like split squats and step-ups help the muscles on the sides of the legs, the peroneals, for stabilizing, thus preventing any type of twisting that may occur with sudden cutting movements in sports.
People have to start training barefoot or just walk around without shoes for a while. By not providing feet with a consistent barefoot stimulus, people lose the ability to "hear" the messages from those mechanoreceptors. Is it any wonder that many first-time ankle sprains occur when simply stepping off a curb? It's interesting to note that third-world countries have a significantly lower rate of ankle sprains.
Observe the difference between a young infant's foot and an adult's foot. See how the baby can easily curl its feet up? Now try to do that.
Odds are you were just out curled by a baby.
Jimmy Smith, MS, CSCS is a strength and
conditioning coach and nutrition consultant based in Stamford, Conn. For
more information visit his site at jimmysmithtraining.com or his Facebook page at facebook.com/physiqueformula.
