Can ankle support be detrimental to a child's ankle strength and stability over time?
Asked 2 years ago
Hey, I want to know if there are any negative effects of using ankle support in children. My child is very active and I want to make sure that they are protected from injuries. However, I don't want to cause any harm by using ankle support if it's not necessary or if it could have negative consequences. I would appreciate any advice or information on this topic.
Avah Sexton
Friday, March 31, 2023
This doesn't sound like something you need to be concerned about. You referred to your child as 'very active' which I will assume means that there are no obvious developmental delays or gait issues. Using ankle support will not have negative consequences if they are not in them all day, every day (outside of the times they are playing sports) - that would be detrimental to development in a child who is otherwise meeting all developmental milestones naturally.
Unless there is a diagnosed problem that you have been told about and specifically told your child should wear orthotics, the most important times to consider ankle support are if they have had a previous ankle injury, or when playing sports that require a lot of pivoting such as basketball because of how common it is to sprain ankles in this sport.
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