If you struggle with peroneal tendonitis, then one of the best ways to help it heal and prevent further injury is to use an ankle brace.
These need to protect and stabilize your injured ankle as you go through your daily tasks. They also help to offset the load on your tendon so it can heal without pressure being placed on it.
We’ve chosen the BioSkin TriLok as the best ankle brace for peroneal tendonitis. It offers targeted unloading of the tendons, it’s easy to use, and the hypoallergenic material is suitable for most people to use.
Let’s have a look at the best ankle braces that you can use to reduce pain in your peroneal tendon and protect it as it heals.
Top 3 Best and Favorites
Best Overall
| Best Overall |
BioSkin TriLok Ankle Brace
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| Check Price |
Top Foot Mobility
| Top Foot Mobility |
Better Braces Aircast Air-Stirrup Universe
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| Check Price |
Best for Customized Fit
| Best for Customized Fit |
McDavid Ankle Brace w/ Straps
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| Check Price |
Best Overall
1. BioSkin TriLok Ankle Brace
The BioSkin TriLok Ankle Brace is light and unobtrusive, but offers excellent support for your ankle and helps to offload the peroneal tendons.
What We Like
The BioSkin TriLok Ankle Brace is a light brace that offers good, sturdy support. It has a slim design featuring three straps that work together to offload the tendon and keep the ankle stable.
The FootLok strap acts like an external tendon, taking on the tension and allowing the peroneal tendon to rest. There’s also a figure-8 strap that wraps around the foot, stabilizing the rearfoot.
A built-in inner sleeve provides light compression, which helps to reduce swelling and inflammation.
The material is breathable and shouldn’t cause your feet to overheat. It’s also hypoallergenic and latex-free, so it should be fine for even those with sensitive skin to wear.
It uses four-way stretch material to provide a good fit and comfort. Lined with microfiber fleece, it’s also soft and comfortable.
It can also be used with shoes, which means you can wear it when you’re taking part in activities that might usually aggravate the tendons.
Why We Like It
The brace can be used to immobilize the ankle for protection and healing of the peroneal tendons, and it can also be used as protection against hurting the tendons.
PROS:
- Quick and easy to put on and take off
- Provides targeted unloading of the tendons
- Made with hypoallergenic materials
- Can work with any type of footwear
CONS:
- It takes time and practice to figure out how to put this brace on correctly
Top Runner-Up
2. Ultra Ankle Ultra Zoom
This is a stiff brace, but it still lets you flex and extend your ankle. The supportive parts prevent sideways movement, taking the load off the tendons and allowing them space to heal.
What We Like
The Performathane soft shell of this brace uses your own body heat to mold itself to the shape of your foot, providing custom support.
A hinged design allows for a greater range of motion than a lace-up design. The side panels are sturdy and take the load off the tendons, reducing pain and movement of the peroneal tendon.
However, you can still move your ankle normally up and down, so walking, jumping, and other similar motions can still be done easily.
The low-profile fit allows you to wear it in shoes as well as barefoot. It’s simple to put on and take off, with an intuitive design.
You should note that this brace does require a break-in period as it molds to your foot, so it may feel uncomfortable for the first few hours of wearing it.
Why We Like It
This brace is supportive, but it doesn’t lose its flexibility. It’s lightweight and can be worn while wearing shoes and going about your day.
PROS:
- Lightweight yet flexible design
- Soft, form-fitting shell ensures a comfortable fit
- Low-profile athletic fit
- Allows for natural range of motion
CONS:
- This brace needs a break-in period
Best Foot Mobility
3. Better Braces Aircast Air-Stirrup Universe
This is a minimalist brace that allows for almost a full range of motion in your ankle. It’s also one of the easiest braces to wear with shoes.
What We Like
This brace is designed for recovery after ankle sprains, and it also does a good job of helping those with peroneal tendonitis.
It features two Aircell pads, which are placed on either side of the lower leg for support. They provide light compression for pain relief, reducing swelling, and increased circulation for healing.
Underneath is an adjustable heel pad that helps to keep the brace in place. Two thick straps across the front of the shin also help keep it in place.
The ankle can flex without restriction. As there’s minimal contact with the foot, it’s also fairly easy to wear with your shoes.
Why We Like It
It’s very light, easy to wear, and you can wear shoes with it without a problem. You’ll have a good range of motion and it’s very easy to use.
PROS:
- Adjustable heel pad
- Inflated aircell provides gentle compression
- Fits comfortably inside your shoes
- Semi-rigid shell stabilizes your ankle
CONS:
- Some may find that it doesn’t provide enough support
Top for Customized Fit
4. McDavid Ankle Brace w/ Straps
This ankle brace can be customized to fit your foot, which makes it great for all types and sizes of feet. It can also help for a variety of foot conditions, not just peroneal tendonitis.
What We Like
This sturdy ankle brace can be fitted to almost any foot, thanks to its adjustability.
The first adjustable feature is a lacing system, which allows you to get a good fit of the inner sleeve on your foot.
There are three straps that have fully adjustable Velcro closures. Two figure-6 shaped straps wrap around the foot and can be easily adjusted to suit your foot. You can also adjust them without needing to remove the whole brace.
Extra support is provided by built-in arch support. The lining of the brace is breathable and the mesh tongue allows for more airflow.
Although it provides excellent support, the range of motion may be slightly inhibited. You’ll also need to be aware that according to the manufacturer, there’s a three-day break-in period for this brace.
Why We Like It
This brace can be customized to fit any foot comfortably, thanks to the various adjustable features. This allows them to be used on swollen feet or shared between family members.
PROS:
- Fully adjustable stirrup straps and Velcro fastenings
- Padded, breathable lining
- Figure-six strapping pattern
- Arch support is sewn in
CONS:
- Three-day break-in period
Most Durable
5. Zenith Athletics Premium Lace-Up Ankle Brace
This is a heavy-duty ankle brace that will be able to withstand any activity you put it through. It should last a long time.
What We Like
The Zenith Athletics Premium Lace-Up Ankle Brace is made of nylon and neoprene for the best combination of durability and comfort. It also has double-stitched seams.
A universal left/right fit means you can use it on either foot comfortably. It has an open heel for breathability and a padded lining to stay comfortable on your foot even when worn for long hours.
The inner bootie can be laced up to your preferred tightness, and also offers some compression to reduce swelling and ease pain.
The figure-8 straps wrap around the foot for support and two side straps provide extra rigidity for the tendons. It’s then hello in place by the ankle strap that goes around the ankle.
Why We Like It
This brace is durable and long-lasting, as well as being supportive for peroneal tendonitis. It’s a great choice for wearing if you’re going to be walking barefoot with it on.
PROS:
- Made from durable neoprene and nylon material
- Double-stitched seams
- Lace-up straps provide customized fit
- Can be used on your right and left foot
CONS:
- It’s a little bulky
Most Supportive
6. Space Brace Ankle Brace 2.0
This ankle brace has four separate pieces that come together to provide strong support for the ankle and peroneal tendons. It’s not very bulky, but it may restrict movement a little.
What We Like
Two plastic inserts are placed along the sides of the lower leg to provide solid support for the peroneal tendons.
Once they’re in place, the inner sleeve is laced up, giving you a comfortable but tight lockdown. The attached straps are then wrapped around the foot and secured with the thick cover strap.
A mesh tongue helps with breathability. The brace material itself is hardy and durable. You can wear this lightweight brace in a shoe easily.
Why We Like It
This strap offers extra support with the plastic inserts, and it still remains thin enough to fit comfortably into most shoes.
PROS:
- Plastic inserts protect and stabilize the ankle
- Easy and quick to put on
- Detachable cover strap provides a customizable fit
- Breathable, mesh tongue
CONS:
- This brace runs a little large
Best for Stability
7. Zamst A2-DX
If you need extra ankle immobilization, we recommend the Zamst A2-DX. It’s more stable than most others, although it may take some time to get used to how it feels.
What We Like
Solid, semi-rigid Exo-Grid side guards provide support along the tendon and also prevent any sideways movement of the ankle. This is their a-FIT technology, which has an anatomical design for the best support.
An X-strap allows for adjustability and offers support in the anterior, lateral, and medial parts of the ankle.
Grip-tech inside the brace also makes sure your ankle doesn’t shift as you move. An open heel helps to get a good fit and also increases breathability.
Why We Like It
The brace is extremely stable and will keep your foot aligned so the peroneal tendons are offloaded and can heal.
PROS:
- Pre-curved anatomical design
- Semi-rigid protective guards provide stability and protection
- X-Strap provides three-way support to the lower ankle
- Lightweight and breathable
CONS:
- There may be a break-in period with this brace
Buyers Guide – Ankle Brace for Peroneal Tendonitis
Protect and Stabilize Ankle
A good ankle brace will offset the load from your peroneal tendon. This will take pressure off the tendon, while supporting the ankle and protecting it from twisting.
It should be rigid enough to prevent unnecessary movement that could potentially aggravate the tendon even more.
Allow You to Move Around Comfortably
Although the ankle should be stabilized, you should still be able to move enough to do your daily activities at home. It should not be so restrictive that it causes pain or keeps your foot in an unnatural position.
Compression
The ankle brace should be tight enough to provide a light compression effect as well as support. This will help to increase blood flow in the injured area, which can speed up healing and recovery.
Comfort
While ankle braces will take some time to get used to, the brace that you choose should be comfortable enough for you to wear it for hours at a time if you need. Most ankle braces are padded inside to provide comfort.
Breathable
You should try to find an ankle brace that is breathable, so your feet don’t get too hot or begin to sweat inside the brace, which can lead to chafing.
FAQs
Does an Ankle Brace Help Peroneal Tendonitis? What Other Options Can Help?
An ankle brace can help relieve the pain of peroneal tendonitis as it supports the ankle, prevents movement that could cause pain, and holds it in the correct alignment as it heals.
You can find full immobilization braces or walking boots, splints, or sturdy ankle braces.
You should note that compression garments are not substitutes for an ankle brace as they don’t provide the necessary support.
You may use a compression garment to help stimulate circulation and reduce swelling, but it will not support the foot enough for you to walk on it or for it to heal.
Is It Ok to Walk With Peroneal Tendonitis?
It’s best to avoid walking on the injured foot until the pain has stopped. Instead, you should rest your foot and elevate it to decrease swelling and inflammation.
If you do need to do very short walks—inside the house, from the couch to the bathroom, etc—then make sure you’re wearing a sturdy ankle brace that prevents ankle movement.
Although it may be frustrating to avoid exercise, you should not do any form of exercise that involves the ankle until your tendons have healed. You will know that your tendons have healed when you can walk on your foot without pain or instability.
How Long Should You Wear an Ankle Brace?
You should keep an ankle brace for at least two weeks after your peroneal tendonitis injury. After two weeks you can reassess your injury and see if you still need the brace or not. This will depend on your recovery.
