Should I sleep with an ankle brace? Can I wear an ankle brace while sleeping? This type of problem always arises for people who have ankle problems and are using ankle braces.
Typically, ankle braces are used when you have an ankle injury, such as a sprain, or are trying to prevent ankle injury. Ankle braces are used to immobilize the joint while providing warmth and pressure to the bones. They are common during the rehabilitation of injuries affecting the ankle because they are made of rigid fabrics such as nylon and neoprene, they allow limited movement of the foot, and are attached to the ankle with Velcro.
This article explores and attempts to answer the question: Should I wear ankle braces while sleeping？
Should I sleep with an ankle brace?
Ankle sprains are one of the most common joint injuries, and nearly everyone has at least one mild or sprained ankle at some point in their lives. So whether you're caring for yourself, your family, or your dependents, it's wise to learn how to treat an ankle sprain.
day care
A proven formula for ankle sprains comes with a helpful acronym: RICE, which aids memory. The RICE formula means rest, ice, compression and elevation, each of which helps reduce the discomfort associated with sprains.
Rest is necessary to avoid deterioration of the injured joint. Ice can help reduce pain and swelling. Compression helps stabilize the joint, suppress swelling, and provide some protection for the first 24 to 48 hours after injury. Elevating can also help relieve pain and swelling; placing your feet on a chair or stool during the day can help you feel better.
night care
Some elements of RICE also come into play at night, including rest and elevation. Rest is useful for general healing. This is ideal for boosting recovery if you don't stress your feet for a few hours at night. Placing a pillow or cushion under your feet allows you to lift the injured joint above your heart, another way to help you recover.
If your ankle doesn't feel better after a few days of home care, see your doctor for professional help and make sure you don't have a broken or more serious injury like a broken bone.
Why should I sleep with an ankle brace?
Like I said before, why I sleep with ankle braces is a frequently asked question. When lying in bed, there is no weight on the ankles, so many people don't think it is necessary to wear an ankle brace while sleeping.
So why wear ankle braces while sleeping? The following tips should better explain how you can benefit from wearing a knee brace while sleeping. In addition to helping your injury heal faster, here are other things you can do while sleeping with knee pads on.
1. Prevent accidental damage
Why wear ankle braces when sleeping? You can do more damage to your ankle when you get up. When you get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, chances are you don't take the time to put your ankles on the floor. Your feet may hurt more when you get up.
2. Reduce swelling
When your ankle is injured, one of the most important things you should deal with is inflammation of the ankle and surrounding tissue. The swelling is painful and can be extreme. Ankle braces help reduce the amount of swelling that occurs in the area, thereby reducing pain.
Gentle compression of the ankle brace will cause swelling away from the injured area. Our bodies respond to injury by gushing fluid and swelling around the area. Elevation is the best way to reduce swelling, but when we sleep, there is no way to adjust the elevation of our feet because we move during sleep. The brace helps reduce swelling and we can't remove it while walking around at night.
3. Restrict ankle movement
One of the functions of an ankle brace is to limit the range of motion of the ankle. By limiting your ability to move your ankle, braces help injured ligaments and tendons no longer stretch and injure.
When you're in bed, you don't have weight on your ankles, but you flex your feet. The bending motion of the foot can further damage the ankle. Wearing an ankle brace while you sleep can help you sleep comfortably, but it limits the movement your ankle can do.
When you roll over in bed while sleeping, you may accidentally kick your leg, hit a footrest, kick a wall, or even your sleeping partner. When you wear the ankle brace, you can turn around without hurting your ankle.
9 Things You Should Know About Ankle Sprains
Tips for Sleeping with Ankle Support
- Make sure you have a proper and adjustable ankle brace. You should measure your ankle and buy your splint accordingly. Many people try to buy braces based on their foot size, but ankle size and shoe length are different.
- Wear an ankle brace with a compression clip for maximum support and comfort.
- Sleep in the coolest room you can tolerate so the ankle brace doesn't make your ankles warm and uncomfortable.
- Try sleeping on your ankles and get the device out of the quilt. This keeps feet cool and comfortable wearing the ankle brace.
- Try applying talc to your feet before placing the brace on your feet to reduce skin irritation.
- Put a pillow near the foot of the bed so you can lift the injured ankle. Elevation further reduces swelling and may relieve some of the discomfort you experience at night.
- If your ankle brace has adjustable straps, you'll want to make sure the straps are tight, but you don't want the straps to be so tight that the clips interfere with your circulation. Once the straps are fastened, you should be able to insert one or two fingers into the splint.
- At night, you may need to adjust the tension of the shoulder straps for comfort and support.
Pros and cons of sleeping with ankle braces
To give you the correct answer to this question: Should I sleep with an ankle brace? You need to understand the pros and cons of sleeping with an ankle brace, weigh them, and decide if it's worth it.
Sleeping with your ankles can be embarrassing, but it can also be beneficial. Below is a list of the pros and cons of sleeping in a corset.
Advantage
- Ankle braces support plantar structures, such as the Achilles tendon, to maintain elongation and do not support contraction of this supporting tissue.
- Reduce the likelihood of inflammation.
- Reduces pressure on the medial calcaneal tubercle.
- Ankle braces allow injuries to the ankle and surrounding tissue to heal faster.
- Ankle braces can relieve pain in some people with conditions such as plantar fasciitis. With plantar fasciitis, people experience pain when the ankle is not bearing weight, such as in bed.
shortcoming
- Ankle braces restrict normal ankle motion and are considered by many to be uncomfortable or restrictive.
- Many people complain that braces make their feet and ankles too hot and sweaty at night.
- Patients may suffer from insomnia due to the discomfort of the orthosis.