Bracing and Supports
They are usually recommended in case of a musculoskeletal problem, especially if your ligaments are damaged and need healing. What bracings do is give you some extra support. Some bracings are custom-made to fit your body, and some are mass-produced. A calf brace, for instance, can be used during your exercise to give extra support to your leg and some compression. Another benefit of braces is that you will increase body awareness. They will help you realize you’re twisting your lower legs too much, which may worsen your injury.
There’s also an alternative to braces in kinesiology tapes. They are stretchy, non-constricting elastic straps applied over the injured area to provide support. They are less expensive than braces and can be worn as a daily practice. The problem with these tapes is that if your injury is a muscle strain or sprain, the tape won’t provide the compression you need to speed up healing. If you have a ligament tear, the tape won’t be of much help.