The Effect of Ankle Brace Use on a 3-Step Volleyball Spike Jump Height.

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.