Ankle Support Beliefs of High School Basketball Coaches and the Ankle Support Practices of their Athletes

Ankle supports have been shown to reduce ankle injury incidence. Athletes' use of them may be related to their sport coaches' beliefs. The purpose of this study was to examine Wisconsin high school boys' and girls' basketball coaches' beliefs regarding ankle support practices. Additional aims were to estimate the percentage of the players who either tape or brace, reveal which sources were used to form coaches' beliefs about ankle supports, and gain insights regarding how long players are out of play after being injured if they tape, brace, or do not use ankle supports. Chi-squared tests of independence revealed that most coaches neither encouraged nor discouraged ankle supports for their players. A majority of coaches were found to use resources other than scientific-based sources to form their opinions on ankle supports. They also reported that they believed ankle injury return-to-play time was reduced in players who wore ankle supports and that supports did not hinder performance. Coaches should be provided educational opportunities regarding ankle supports so they may provide valid information to help their players make informed decisions.