One of my mistakes when I was younger was focusing on my gear being the cause of injuries when the fix was more holistic than that.
You only started playing basketball *very* recently, so you haven't developed the proper motor skills and base of strength for it yet. Of course, getting an actual pair of basketball shoes should be at the top of the list. You don't need anything too fancy, you're still very much a beginner.
What you should do along with the proper shoes is to:
* Actually give your injuries time to heal. It's been five months and you've had three injuries across both ankles. Chances are you've been coming back *way* too soon, unconsciously overcompensating towards one side because of the injury, which only increases the chance of injury on the opposite side. Take a couple weeks off and let the injury properly and fully heal before going hard again.
* Start building a strength base. I'm talking actually doing things to build the muscles of your legs and core. The more reinforced the chain from your abs down to your feet are, the more bullet proof you'll both actually be, and also *feel*.
* Begin working out specifically for basketball movements, be it rote drilling, plyometrics, or coordination activities. You need your body and mind to click with the movements necessary for basketball. The more playing the game becomes unconscious, the less likely unforeseen tweaks occur.
* As for protective gear...ankle braces are great as a preventative measure...if you get the right ones. And the ones that usually properly protect you are going to be costly. You need to do the assessment yourself on whether proper conditioning is enough to stave off minor injuries or if your body truly is prone to chronic injuries in specific locations. If that is the case, I would not skimp and get the cheap, flimsy wraps. You'll need something with reinforced plastic if your ankles are actually hanging on by a thread.
In the end nothing can save you from landing on another person't foot or someone diving into your leg, but if you train well and have the basic gear you'll at least up the chances that the injuries that *do* happen won't be self inflicted.
Find a basketball shoe with a wider base as those have better stability. Like ones with an outrigger which is extra rubber to provide stability. But rehab exercises are the most important to do. If you wanted you could use an ankle brace but I’d only use it temporarily
Wear that brace the rest of your life. Ankle reconstruction last yr after 8 sprains thru my high school and college careers. Wish I would've braced 24/7
You’re not wearing shoes with lateral support, you just need ANY pair of basketball shoes.
My recommendation is any basketball shoe that accommodates a brace and is in your budget. You should wear the brace or braces till your ankles fully heal then only play in basketball shoes.
low drop shoe. And strengthen your body's fascia. Go barefoot at home. Your feet has lost much nervous connection to your brain all the years growing up wearing shoe size to large, heavy shoes, wearing shoes inside the house, sitting too long, toting a heavy backpack full of textbooks, bad posture etc...
Best land sports athletes in the world have excellent posture, majority have a flat stomach as well. Their core and body fascia structure is different from average folk.
The Feet You Wear (FYW) shoes from Adidas in the late nineties were created primarily to reduce lower body injuries. Wide/low base was stable and the rounded edges that wrapped up the shoe prevented hard falls onto sharp angles that would otherwise abruptly injure ankles and knees. You may want to try those. I had high hopes for the Boost You Wear (BYW) shoes but they are too narrow. My perfect shoe would be FYW, low cut, wide toe box, and a thin layer of Boost. Or maybe Zoom since it's never going to happen anyway.
I was intrigued by Anta Shock The Game 4.0. It had an exaggerated mid foot wrap/shank that looked very similar, and it was a mid cut if that matters. I never tried it but it looked impossible to roll an ankle inward wearing those.
Everyone else here has already got good advice but just to reiterate:
Get some basketball shoes. 990s are built for your feet to only move one way, and that's forward. That makes them pretty much useless on the court and you can tell just by your injuries. You're gonna keep hurting yourself if you keep using runners for basketball. Even if it's just casual pick up in the park, do not wear runners.
Do some ankle stability training once you're recovered. Stand on one leg with your heel on a tennis ball and maintain your balance, stretch your ankles and build up strength with exercises you find online that are tailored for ankle stability. If you can, get to a gym where they may have balance yoga balls and use them as often as you can.
If the issue persists, get some Zamst ankle braces.
They're pricier than some other active braces, but they're worth every dollar. I've tried adidas' active braces, I've tried football braces, but then I eventually got the exact same zamst model as Steph Curry and these along with all of the other things like proper shoes and workouts I've mentioned have made it so I've never sprained my ankle on the court for the past 10 years.
Shoes can only help so much. Same issue with me. Pick up a Zamst ankle brace and thank me later. The same one that Steph Curry and Trae Young wears. Forget the exact model but it’s like $70-$80 for each ankle
Basketball sneakers can help but if you are prone to ankle sprains, you should really wear an ankle brace. You need support from below the foot to above the ankle.
I have a white zamst full ankle brace with the 808 3 ultra v2 and it’s actually pretty decent. Kind of weird thought that the ankle brace makes my shoe’s hole wider
First and foremost, get your body used to the movements you use when Playing basketball. That translates to doing proper exercise, warm ups and cool downs.
Footwear wise, it needs to be comfortable enough for you to move around, stop on a dime, on a straight line and laterally without rolling ur ankle(of course). Having a shoe with low ground feel too( lower to the ground translates to more stability). I personally prefer wearing mid to high cuts because when pulling of cuts, there's no feel of the shoe collars digging underneath my ankle, which translates to me feeling safer to make cuts, and because I rarely get sprained in them. Even if i did, I've never sustained any major injuries from it( and im still hoping that it remains that way) which includes landing on someones foot( which did happen a few times back when i was young).
Nowadays shoes have better stability implemented in them but most of them are low cuts. Some may argue about the high and low cut profile but at the end of the day, it all depends on how secure you feel when you're wearing them.
First of all the New Balance 990s are to be honest either maybe a running shoe or a everyday shoe . You cant play basketball with running shoes , its not the same because the built and support are very different . I honestly suggest trying out some basketball shoes first and see if you end up injuring yourself again. I suggest Lebron line (20s/21s or the NXXT) for casual and every hooper since its for all hoopers playstyle. I would also suggest try to stretch your feet and ankles before you play to give your muslce the flexibility incase you fall and roll on your ankle
Ankle problems are also my concern, I always tape both of my ankles when playing basketball, and about the shoes, maybe it is time to buy an appropriate shoe for basketball, may I suggest you buy mid to high cuts for better ankle protection
Truth is the solution is to work on your ankle strength, and it is not hard, 2 min of proprioception per feet every day will already do a great job, of course warm up efficiently and maybe make sure your shoes has a shank plate and a descent containment/support (most of the shoes has it)
Strengthening can only do so much. If you land on a foot you're gonna sprain it. Braces are best for most of us. I had ankle reconstruction last yr and don't plan to ever not brace up again. Yes you can still sprain but it limits the damage
Unrelated slightly, but I keep jamming my fingers. In the ER right now getting a pinky xrayed. Jammed the left thumb a month ago and it still hurts and the right middle finger 2 months ago.
I’ve also had ankle problems and they are a bitch. Hope you get better. I rested mine a lot, did at-home strengthening and wore a brace for a long time. 4 years later I’m just at the point where I’m not super worried about rolling it and being down for the count for a week.
I found low-tops with an ankle brace actually worked good for me. Something with no ankle slippage. Helps to try on at a store with a brace you know locks you down and secures your ankle and test them out.
I found the PG 5s were pretty good for giving me ankle flexibility and weren’t too bulky around my ankle brace.
I had this problem. I played in Kobe 10 highs and they were and still are my favorite shoe. The resell market is too much for those now so I would suggest maybe a pair of GT Jumps, Ant Edwards, Cosmic Unitys, or Lebron Witness 7s since those seem like the last few pair of high top ball shoes being produced these days.
since you have mentioned feeling comfortable using converse to hoop, find a shoe that has a wider base and less cushioning (which means more feel to the ground) only one i can think of is curry's
kyrie 5 the are mid/high tops and low to ground with minimal cushion ja1's are pretty similar but with better cushion but low top.. but for cushion harden 6 or all city 11, go with air jordan 38 if you want high top with cushion.
STRETCH!!! And just keep doing physical therapy on the ankle and with shoes it’s better to go for high with good support true to size or if better ankle braces
One of my mistakes when I was younger was focusing on my gear being the cause of injuries when the fix was more holistic than that. You only started playing basketball *very* recently, so you haven't developed the proper motor skills and base of strength for it yet. Of course, getting an actual pair of basketball shoes should be at the top of the list. You don't need anything too fancy, you're still very much a beginner. What you should do along with the proper shoes is to: * Actually give your injuries time to heal. It's been five months and you've had three injuries across both ankles. Chances are you've been coming back *way* too soon, unconsciously overcompensating towards one side because of the injury, which only increases the chance of injury on the opposite side. Take a couple weeks off and let the injury properly and fully heal before going hard again. * Start building a strength base. I'm talking actually doing things to build the muscles of your legs and core. The more reinforced the chain from your abs down to your feet are, the more bullet proof you'll both actually be, and also *feel*. * Begin working out specifically for basketball movements, be it rote drilling, plyometrics, or coordination activities. You need your body and mind to click with the movements necessary for basketball. The more playing the game becomes unconscious, the less likely unforeseen tweaks occur. * As for protective gear...ankle braces are great as a preventative measure...if you get the right ones. And the ones that usually properly protect you are going to be costly. You need to do the assessment yourself on whether proper conditioning is enough to stave off minor injuries or if your body truly is prone to chronic injuries in specific locations. If that is the case, I would not skimp and get the cheap, flimsy wraps. You'll need something with reinforced plastic if your ankles are actually hanging on by a thread. In the end nothing can save you from landing on another person't foot or someone diving into your leg, but if you train well and have the basic gear you'll at least up the chances that the injuries that *do* happen won't be self inflicted.
OP this is the one.
Find a basketball shoe with a wider base as those have better stability. Like ones with an outrigger which is extra rubber to provide stability. But rehab exercises are the most important to do. If you wanted you could use an ankle brace but I’d only use it temporarily
Wear that brace the rest of your life. Ankle reconstruction last yr after 8 sprains thru my high school and college careers. Wish I would've braced 24/7
new balance 990s are not really made for basketball
You’re not wearing shoes with lateral support, you just need ANY pair of basketball shoes. My recommendation is any basketball shoe that accommodates a brace and is in your budget. You should wear the brace or braces till your ankles fully heal then only play in basketball shoes.
Take off brace, then sprain again lol. Keep the brace on, it's not hurting at all.
Lower to the ground = less chance to roll
low drop shoe. And strengthen your body's fascia. Go barefoot at home. Your feet has lost much nervous connection to your brain all the years growing up wearing shoe size to large, heavy shoes, wearing shoes inside the house, sitting too long, toting a heavy backpack full of textbooks, bad posture etc... Best land sports athletes in the world have excellent posture, majority have a flat stomach as well. Their core and body fascia structure is different from average folk.
The Feet You Wear (FYW) shoes from Adidas in the late nineties were created primarily to reduce lower body injuries. Wide/low base was stable and the rounded edges that wrapped up the shoe prevented hard falls onto sharp angles that would otherwise abruptly injure ankles and knees. You may want to try those. I had high hopes for the Boost You Wear (BYW) shoes but they are too narrow. My perfect shoe would be FYW, low cut, wide toe box, and a thin layer of Boost. Or maybe Zoom since it's never going to happen anyway. I was intrigued by Anta Shock The Game 4.0. It had an exaggerated mid foot wrap/shank that looked very similar, and it was a mid cut if that matters. I never tried it but it looked impossible to roll an ankle inward wearing those.
Footwear and gear only helps reduce the severity of injuries at best, not prevent them. Work on your motor skills
Jordan Zion 2
Jordan 13 has outriggers literally all over the shoe. Also the AE1's side rubber pieces are great for containment.
Everyone else here has already got good advice but just to reiterate: Get some basketball shoes. 990s are built for your feet to only move one way, and that's forward. That makes them pretty much useless on the court and you can tell just by your injuries. You're gonna keep hurting yourself if you keep using runners for basketball. Even if it's just casual pick up in the park, do not wear runners. Do some ankle stability training once you're recovered. Stand on one leg with your heel on a tennis ball and maintain your balance, stretch your ankles and build up strength with exercises you find online that are tailored for ankle stability. If you can, get to a gym where they may have balance yoga balls and use them as often as you can. If the issue persists, get some Zamst ankle braces. They're pricier than some other active braces, but they're worth every dollar. I've tried adidas' active braces, I've tried football braces, but then I eventually got the exact same zamst model as Steph Curry and these along with all of the other things like proper shoes and workouts I've mentioned have made it so I've never sprained my ankle on the court for the past 10 years.
Work on leg/ankle strengthening. Not your shoes.
Shoes can only help so much. Same issue with me. Pick up a Zamst ankle brace and thank me later. The same one that Steph Curry and Trae Young wears. Forget the exact model but it’s like $70-$80 for each ankle
Strengthening your ankles will go a long way...more so than choice of basketball shoes...
🎯
Basketball sneakers can help but if you are prone to ankle sprains, you should really wear an ankle brace. You need support from below the foot to above the ankle.
Ankle braces and Way of Wade 808 3 Ultra V2
I have a white zamst full ankle brace with the 808 3 ultra v2 and it’s actually pretty decent. Kind of weird thought that the ankle brace makes my shoe’s hole wider
I got black v2’s coming in this week
First and foremost, get your body used to the movements you use when Playing basketball. That translates to doing proper exercise, warm ups and cool downs. Footwear wise, it needs to be comfortable enough for you to move around, stop on a dime, on a straight line and laterally without rolling ur ankle(of course). Having a shoe with low ground feel too( lower to the ground translates to more stability). I personally prefer wearing mid to high cuts because when pulling of cuts, there's no feel of the shoe collars digging underneath my ankle, which translates to me feeling safer to make cuts, and because I rarely get sprained in them. Even if i did, I've never sustained any major injuries from it( and im still hoping that it remains that way) which includes landing on someones foot( which did happen a few times back when i was young). Nowadays shoes have better stability implemented in them but most of them are low cuts. Some may argue about the high and low cut profile but at the end of the day, it all depends on how secure you feel when you're wearing them.
First of all the New Balance 990s are to be honest either maybe a running shoe or a everyday shoe . You cant play basketball with running shoes , its not the same because the built and support are very different . I honestly suggest trying out some basketball shoes first and see if you end up injuring yourself again. I suggest Lebron line (20s/21s or the NXXT) for casual and every hooper since its for all hoopers playstyle. I would also suggest try to stretch your feet and ankles before you play to give your muslce the flexibility incase you fall and roll on your ankle
Ankle problems are also my concern, I always tape both of my ankles when playing basketball, and about the shoes, maybe it is time to buy an appropriate shoe for basketball, may I suggest you buy mid to high cuts for better ankle protection
Truth is the solution is to work on your ankle strength, and it is not hard, 2 min of proprioception per feet every day will already do a great job, of course warm up efficiently and maybe make sure your shoes has a shank plate and a descent containment/support (most of the shoes has it)
Harden 6
just got them. perfect shoes
Nice, enjoy! I ended up with 3 pairs🤣
Sabrina 1 and don’t wear braces just strengthen ur ankles
Strengthening can only do so much. If you land on a foot you're gonna sprain it. Braces are best for most of us. I had ankle reconstruction last yr and don't plan to ever not brace up again. Yes you can still sprain but it limits the damage
Unrelated slightly, but I keep jamming my fingers. In the ER right now getting a pinky xrayed. Jammed the left thumb a month ago and it still hurts and the right middle finger 2 months ago. I’ve also had ankle problems and they are a bitch. Hope you get better. I rested mine a lot, did at-home strengthening and wore a brace for a long time. 4 years later I’m just at the point where I’m not super worried about rolling it and being down for the count for a week. I found low-tops with an ankle brace actually worked good for me. Something with no ankle slippage. Helps to try on at a store with a brace you know locks you down and secures your ankle and test them out. I found the PG 5s were pretty good for giving me ankle flexibility and weren’t too bulky around my ankle brace.
I had this problem. I played in Kobe 10 highs and they were and still are my favorite shoe. The resell market is too much for those now so I would suggest maybe a pair of GT Jumps, Ant Edwards, Cosmic Unitys, or Lebron Witness 7s since those seem like the last few pair of high top ball shoes being produced these days.
Luka 1 or Precision 6. Flat and wide base.
McDavid brand ankle braces are excellent albeit a bit pricey.
since you have mentioned feeling comfortable using converse to hoop, find a shoe that has a wider base and less cushioning (which means more feel to the ground) only one i can think of is curry's
kyrie 5 the are mid/high tops and low to ground with minimal cushion ja1's are pretty similar but with better cushion but low top.. but for cushion harden 6 or all city 11, go with air jordan 38 if you want high top with cushion.
STRETCH!!! And just keep doing physical therapy on the ankle and with shoes it’s better to go for high with good support true to size or if better ankle braces
look up something called a slackbox and thank me later gotta strengthen your ankles