Stephen Curry is one of the most successful basketball players of all time, having set numerous records for the number of points he has scored in a single game.
But throughout his career, Curry's injuries proved a constant threat to his sporting success and put his career on the line. It was at that point that he turned to ankle braces.
Whether you're a fan or an athlete following in Curry's steps, you may find yourself wondering: What ankle braces does Stephen Curry wear?
We answer all that and more here in this special highlight of Stephen Curry.
A Career on the Line
Stephen Curry is a seriously talented basketball player and a massive contribution to his team. He's a national treasure, having won the gold medal in both the 2010 and 2014 international basketball world cups.
However, as his athletic career progressed, the Golden State Warriors player began to run into trouble with injuries.
In the 2011/12 season, he missed some 40 games due to his foot injuries. He had to undergo surgery in both 2011 and 2012. In 2017, he missed a further 11 games due to sustained ankle injuries.
By the time of the 2017/18 season, it looked as though the future of Curry's career in basketball was in doubt. It seemed that there was a reasonable chance he wouldn't be able to recover from his injuries.
A combination of surgery and the introduction of wearing ankle braces during games allowed Curry to make not just a return to the game but a record-breaking return. He set the record for the highest number of three-pointers made in a regular-season game.
So, in the end, deciding to wear ankle braces may well have saved Stephen Curry's career. But how exactly do they work?
How Ankle Braces Work
Ankle braces work by doing two things:
Increasing Ankle Awareness
By clutching your ankle at all times, an ankle brace can give you an increased awareness of your motion and how you are using your ankle during sport.
It will therefore cause you to be less likely to twist or stretch your ankle in a way that might cause damage to it because you'll be more aware of what your limits are.
Limiting Range of Motion
A firm ankle brace will prevent you from causing the most severe damage to your ankle by limiting how you can move.
You can prevent a plantarflexion/inversion movement — where your ankle movement turns your foot inward too far — by using a powerful enough ankle brace, thereby preventing serious injury.
So, what ankle braces does Stephen Curry wear?
What Ankle Braces Does Stephen Curry Wear?
The precise ankle brace that Stephen Curry wears is the A2-DX made by Zamst.
This particular model comes with several great features:
Breathable: thanks to its thin material, the support allows breathability and anti-bacterial properties, preventing the build-up of unwanted odors.
Stability: Unlike some ankle supports, this brace features cross straps taped together in a figure of eight. It stops unnecessary instability during high-intensity movement.
Double support: the brace also has a plantar strap for additional support to the ankle area. It prevents slipping and causing the support from pulling up through the heel.
So, now you know what ankle braces Stephen Curry wears and how they work. However, it's not just ankles where supports such as these can come in handy.
Other Types of Body Brace
It's not just at the bottom of your leg that supports such as these can come in handy. Zamst makes several other body supports to cater to a range of different anthropological needs. Some examples include:
The Zamst Wrist Wrap
This device, made of polyester, nylon, and elastane, supports high-intensity sport involving the hands, such as handball or volleyball.
It can easily attach to the wrist with a finger loop and wrapping functionality and features a stretchable compression line. It allows movement while also adding comfort for those who might develop pain in this area.
The Zamst ZK-X Knee Brace
This device provides exceptionally strong support to the knee in such a way as to restrict movement.
It features an aluminum and stainless steel core with hinges and has a semicircular patella pad that provides comfort and helps to improve the stability of the knee.
Related: Best Knee Brace for Basketball
The Zamst Pelvilock for Back
This device supports the pelvis and lower back. It supports forward flexion and rotation movement about the hips without any disruption to this movement.
It helps keep a low profile, and its anti-slip tape prevents the support from slipping up and down the back during exercise.
How Common Are Sporting Injuries?
The short answer is they're more common than you think.
For example, in English Premier League football, more than three players get injured at any one time for each team in the league.
Or in the National Basketball Association (NBA), players are likely to get injured about twice for every 100 games they play (and once injured, they'll likely miss several matches after that). And 15% of the injuries sustained by NBA players are ankle-related injuries.
Some injuries sustained by athletes can be so severe that they never fully recover, with their careers wiped out overnight.
For example, Scottish tennis player Andy Murray had to spend nearly a year without playing competitive tennis because of a hip injury and has regularly had to miss matches and pull out of tournaments because of further hip surgeries.
He has gone from a ranking of no. 1 in 2016 to no. 122 in 2020, mainly as a result of his injuries.
However, other injuries, such as Curry's, can allow athletes and sportspersons to continue with their careers successfully, provided they get the proper treatment and look after their bodies carefully with the right support.
What Does Stephen Think of His Ankle Supports?
In interviews, Stephen Curry has talked about the effects that wearing the Zamst A2-DX has had.
In general, he has been thankful for the support for its ability to give him the physical and emotional strength he needed to get back into the sport.
“The ZAMST A2-DX is the only product that has given me the full confidence to play without the fear of re-injuring my ankle.”
Also, Curry has praised the A2-DX for its ability to cope with any of the moves he pulls on the court.
“I’m a guy that makes a lot of different cuts, and to know that the Zamst brace is going to hold up regardless of what happens. It’s a good feeling to have when you're on the court.”
So overall, it seems Curry credits a good deal of his career comeback to the A2-DX, and the company has been happy to sponsor him.
Conclusion: A Career Turnaround Thanks to One Tiny Device
In the end, it may have been thanks to Curry's continued use of an ankle brace that has allowed him to sustain a successful basketball career despite multiple injuries and operations.
If that's not a good reason to consider getting high-quality ankle support, I'm not sure what is. Check out the ZAMST A2-DX here.
