"In a recent game, Buzelis, the 6′ 10′ ′, 20-year-old small forward entering his second season with the Chicago Bulls, came down on another player's foot after leaping. This sickening scenario often means an ankle injury is about to occur, especially for players like Buzelis with a lengthy history of them dating back to his high school years. "I felt my ankle starting to go," Buzelis recalls via email. And then ... it didn't."
"Buzelis is one of a number of NBA players who, in the last few years, have begun using "adaptive" ankle brace tech from a company called BetterGuards. The new approach to ankle protection is headlined by a seat-belt-like "locking" mechanism around the outside of the ankle, combined with a level of fit and comfort that's previously been impossible to achieve with bulky ankle braces. The company touts impressive numbers for both ankle injury prevention and recovery scenarios,"
BetterGuards partnered with the National Basketball Athletic Training Association to outfit NBA players with an adaptive ankle brace featuring a seat-belt-like external locking mechanism. The device combines stabilizing locks with a level of fit and comfort previously rare in bulky braces. Players such as Matas Buzelis reported avoiding ankle sprains during destabilizing landings while wearing the brace. The company reports impressive prevention and recovery metrics and says over two-thirds of NBA teams have ordered the product. The partnership uses NBA players and trainers as an incubator to refine the technology and pursue broader application to common sports and population-level injuries.
Read at WIRED
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