You'll also want to look for an ankle brace that provides stability and keeps your foot in place during activities. "An ankle brace should provide enough support to decrease symptoms while increasing ankle instability," says Robert L. Parisien, MD, orthopedic sports medicine surgeon at Mount Sinai and team physician for US Ski & Snowboard and USA Fencing. "However, it must be noted that following a traumatic ankle sprain, all patients should undergo formal focused physical therapy to work on stretching, strengthening, as well as neuromuscular and proprioceptive training." According to Dr. Parisien, it's important to consider your activity level when choosing an ankle brace. "The degree of injury, acuity of injury, and activity level all play an important role in the type of ankle brace that may be utilized," he says. Your activity level and recovery needs should dictate whether you opt for an ankle-foot-orthosis or an ankle-stabilizing-orthosis. The Mueller ATF 2 Ankle Brace is a medium-high level ankle support designed to provide support to weak ankles and to prevent turning over on the ankle, sprained ankles and ankle instability. Which Size Mueller AFT Ankle Brace do I need? Size Chart Lightweight and comfortable, Mueller have redesigned the material over the ankle bone to be a soft, breathable mesh to allow air movement and maximum comfort. Another new feature is that Mueller have replaced the old reinforced flexible stays with a rigid plastic, removing the metal for greater comfort and washability. The specially designed inner ATF strap covers a larger area over the Anterior Talofibular Ligament and offers increased lateral support. Bi-directional stretch elastic at the rear of the brace over the Achilles tendon area allows supported plantar and dorsal flexion (toes up and down) without restriction. This lace up ankle brace can be tightened to an individuals needs and is now universal fitting for either foot, allowing you to have one ankle support for either foot.

Ease of Use - How easy it is to put your ankle brace on, take it off, and attach or adjust it can affect your experience, especially if the brace bunches or rolls during your activity. An easy-to-use ankle brace saves time and energy if you need to change anything or make adjustments while wearing it. Support - The whole point of an ankle support brace is to offer - wait for it - support! Without this support, you won’t feel the proper effects which can hinder the progress of your recovery and risks making your injury even worse.Fit - An ankle brace that doesn’t fit right will not be much use so make sure you find one that suits your foot size to ensure it’s as effective as possible. If your ankle brace doesn’t fit properly, it can cause discomfort and make it essentially worthless to wear. When looking for an ankle brace, Dr. McEneaney recommends finding one that's both comfortable to wear and fits inside your shoe. "Bulkier braces may feel more supportive, but they are no good to you if they don't fit in your shoe."

Flexibility - While you need support, you also need the flexibility to maintain a decent range of mobility and experience more natural movement. This is more essential when you need support following injury, and if you’re still rehabbing, you may want more rigidity to protect your ankle.To narrow down our list, we looked at adjustability and whether the ankle brace was machine washable. We also considered how easy it was to put on and take off, as many users have difficulty reaching their feet. Finally, we looked at the price point to decide which ankle braces provided the best value. Based on these factors, we compiled a list of the best ankle braces on the market.