Ankle sprain is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries, particularly in sports like netball, basketball, and football where jumping, landing on one foot, and sudden direction changes are part of the game.
Prevention is key. In an effort to reduce sprain risk, many people look for “high-top” shoes, where the section around the side of the shoe (also known as the “collar”) extends up closer to the ankle.
But what does the research say? Do high-top shoes actually reduce your sprain risk?

High-Tops Don’t Always Help–and Can Sometimes Harm
Plenty of research exists on this topic but unraveling the truth is complicated by inconsistencies between studies. Researchers may have different ways of investigating the issue—of measuring the shoe’s success,—or even different ways of defining a “high-top” shoe.That said, the trend in the current research literature suggests that ankle protection provided by high-top shoes may not be enough to significantly reduce sprain risk while playing sports.
In fact, this design may also reduce athletic performance, and increase the risk of ankle sprain in some people.
The research does support the idea that high-top shoes provide good stability when outside forces may cause an ankle sprain when the person is stationary (for example, when a person standing still is knocked from the side and starts to topple over, putting stress on the ankle).
However, once you start moving it’s a different story. In fact, some research suggests high-top shoes may even increase the risk of ankle sprain in some activities.
This may be because these shoes can change the way we use the muscles in our ankles and legs.

Getting the Right Fit
External supports such as tape and braces are effective in both uninjured and previously injured ankles. But they’re most effective when used in combination with preventive exercise programs.What is crucial when selecting footwear is good fit and good function. Footwear should fit the foot in length, width, and depth, with a thumb’s width between the end of the longest toe and the tip of the shoe. You should have enough space across the ball of the foot for it to not be pulled tight when standing.
Make sure you’ve got the right shoe for the job. Form must suit function.
As an example, there’s merit in wearing a well-fitted high-top sneaker during static, standing-based activities.
