Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to determine whether ankle brace use in university‐level varsity volleyball athletes affected their 3‐step spike jump height and whether certain types of ankle braces have a greater effect on jump height.
Methods
Nine male university‐level varsity volleyball athletes participated in a repeated‐measures design study in which each athlete performed three 3‐step volleyball spike jumps in 3 ankle brace conditions (soft, rigid, and no brace). Vertical jump height was measured by the Vertec device and video motion analysis at a university biomechanics research laboratory.
Results
Vertical jump heights were significantly lower in both brace conditions (soft, 2.3 cm, standard deviation [SD] 1.2 cm,
P
P
P
= .3). There was a negative correlation between body fat percentage and vertical jump height (
r
= –0.075,
P
= .02). The Vertec device reliably measured vertical jump in all 3 conditions. The no‐brace vertical ground reaction forces during the loading phase were significantly greater than brace conditions. Ankle range of motion was greatest in the no‐brace condition.
Conclusions
Results from this study suggests that high‐performance athletes wearing ankle braces experience a significant decrease in vertical jump height independent of the type of ankle brace worn.
Clinical Relevance
Sports physicians and health care providers caring for high‐level athletes should counsel athletes on the trade‐offs of wearing protective equipment in sport, as potential decreases in sports performance can lead to increased injury prevention.
Level of Evidence
III.