Steph Curry Ankle Braces: Why Does The Warriors Star Need To Constantly Protect His Ankles?

Stephen Curry is often seen wearing ankle braces during games, which is something unusual for an NBA player. Notably, these braces are not just on his legs without a reason. Stephen Curry‘s early seasons in the NBA were marred with injuries. The Golden State Warriors guard struggled with ankle issues, constantly spraining it and missing games. He missed the team’s first two games in his rookie season due to a sprained left ankle and eight more the following season with right ankle injuries.

The ankle issues have followed Curry throughout his career, and he’s had multiple surgeries to fix them. To help with his ankle injuries, the Warriors superstar uses a Zamst A2-DX ankle brace. It helps with high ankle sprains and chronic ankle instability and is the go-to brace for Curry and Atlanta Hawks superstar Trae Young, who’s the company brand ambassador.

Curry isn’t the only NBA player cursed with ankle injuries. Per the National Library of Medicine, ankle injuries are the most common ailment among NBA players. The heavy stress on the ankle due to the constant pivoting and jumping on the court weakens it, causing sprains and muscle tears. Per the NLM’s study, an ankle sprain or strain is the most common injury among basketball players at all levels.

Guards like Curry and Young rely heavily on their explosiveness and ability to change direction on a whim, making them more prone to ankle injuries. Unsurprisingly, they both play with the best ankle guard money can buy.

Stephen Curry’s injury history

Stephen Curry has been bothered by ankle injuries since his rookie year. He missed the first two games of the Warriors’ 2009-10 with a left ankle sprain before featuring in the remaining 80. In his sophomore year, he sprained his right ankle during a preseason game, reaggravated it in the second game of the regular season, and missed the next two games.  In December, another right ankle injury left him sidelined for six games, and he underwent surgery to fix the issue in the 2011 offseason.

The surgery did not help, and in his third season, Curry missed 56 games with right ankle and tendon issues. He underwent surgery in April 2012 and was sidelined until September 2012. Over the next five years, he continued to deal with ankle sprains but missed only 16 regular season games as he and the Warriors ascended to the top of the NBA. In those five seasons, Curry won two MVP awards, and the team won two titles.

Curry’s ankle issues returned in 2017, and in the subsequent seven years, he has been sidelined for lengthy spells multiple times due to them. He has soldiered through them throughout his career and will continue until he retires.