"..not even when playing with torn ligaments in my left ankle" - reeal intelligent.

You can seperate tapers into 3 categories:

1. Preventative tapers. If you want to minimize the chance of screwing up your ankles, then you stabilize the region and make yourself less susceptible to injury.

2. Injured tapers. People who have already done something to their ankles, and wear tape so then they can ease the ligaments back into action instead of getting straight back into full-impact exercise and risking re-injury.

3. Image-conscious tapers. Idiots who think it makes them look cool, or appear a better player, must like you described above.

Don't assume that all people who tape are doing it to maintain their image and prove they are 'committed to the cause' - 90% of the sporting community tape because their body requires it. I know physio's out there with PhD's on ankle injury prevention who swear by tape, and its no coincidence that athletes use tape in all of the major sporting codes in Aus, be it AFL, Netball, Basketball, Soccer.. choose any sport you want.

I'd say there is a big 'fuss' about ankle tape. And for good reason. However I've got to admit that with such a heavy reliance on tape in the sporting community, it would be interesting to see if people invested in strengthening their muscles naturally to prevent injury instead of spending hundreds each year on a preventative which ultimately weakens the ankle in the long term.

I suppose most of my criticisms would fall on the 'image' tapers then, who are doing it to look like pros.

But as well as that, would the preventative tapers find taping their ankles restrictive to their movement and the flexibility of their ankles. As I said, I've never tried it, so I don't know, but I always assumed it'd make you feel stiff and less mobile in the ankle area.

And yes, it probably wasn't smart on my part playing injured in the past, and preventative taping could have lessened/prevented the injury in the first place. But when you're young, enthusiastic and just want to play (and doctors refuse to help if you don't have private health cover), then sometimes you don't make the smartest choices re: injury management.

I worked in the NBA, and knows numerous S&C coaches around other teams who agrees with my thoughts. here's my take:

we do NOT suggest our athletes to tape or wear ankle braces unless there is an injury. why? there's been evidence that suggest ankle taping or bracing inhibits ankle mobility. ever wonder why those with healthy ankles and still tapes frequently hurt their ankle? more often than those that don't tape.

many kids i work with actually improved on their hops and speed after ditching ankle bracing/taping.

LA Boy, that's the kind of thing I mean. I've always thought that 'preventative' taping of your ankles would restrict mobility and range of movement. Now that you mention it, I can also see how always taping the ankles could prevent the ankles from natural strengthening themselves, and could possibly hold a player back from showing their true athleticism as well.

I only wear brace when recovering from an ankle sprain...through running without one and balance exercises, I strengthen the joint and therefore no longer need to use it

Whether you do it for injury prevention or management, or confidence, or to look good, please just remember to shave your ankle before doing so.

Good advice ;)

Hate the feel of taping, and when you wear Huaraches (or any shoe with a good strap) you don't really need it IMO.

There is no way you tore ligaments and still played!! perhaps you simply sprained your ankle!! Tearing ligaments in your ankle is extremely painful so I definitely support people who wear tape/braces as a preventative.

I only taped when i was young & athletic & was prone to landing on other feet & rolling. No one except my team mates knew i taped. i hardly see why it could be an image thing. Why would anyone want to waste time getting taped if not necessary - let alone the trainers time? Is it like the kids of today wearing their undies a few inches above their pants? I just finished playing footy (age 40) & would never have bothered turn up if i had to spend any time getting strapped or rubbed. Unless absolutely necessary why would you bother. If i saw someone getting taped for image i think i'd smash him!!

Pallas55, a couple of weeks after I did the injury, I went to a doctor because it was bothering me. He sent me to get x-rays and it turned out I had torn the talofibular ligament in my ankle. He offered to refer me to someone to get surgury done to 'knit' the ligament back together, but then somehow (on my second visit to this particular doctor) only just realised that I didn't have private health cover, at which point he literally dropped everything and told me that there was nothing he could do. I just said to myself "alright then" and continued to play through the pain and discomfort. I think I missed one game and a few practices all up, and I was playing both club and school basketball at the time.