The BetterGuard is an innovative ankle brace designed for athletes trying to achieve peak performance amidst recovery and prevent severe ankle injuries. Now there is no need to choose between a rigid brace, sacrificing peak performance, or a soft brace, sacrificing protection. The BetterGuard eliminates this decision and offers the best of both worlds.
Now athletes won’t have to give up on their goals and can continue playing thanks to the groundbreaking innovation in ankle braces technology. Instead of bulky lace-up ankle braces and high tops, they can now choose a product made from modern materials, using scientific advancements.
The BetterGuard is a breakthrough product built with a mini ankle stabilizer that acts as an artificial ligament for dynamic joint support, giving athletes the feeling of a secure brace while allowing a full range of motion. The concept behind the adaptive ankle stabilizer is similar to a seatbelt in a car, only restricting movement to protect the user in critical situations.
Its minimalistic design shows the progress of the sports gear that prioritizes natural movement, mobility, and adaptability.
Innovated through rigorous testing and tedious research at the company’s in-house facilities, including an ankle joint test bench—a base platform equipped with sensors to measure the range of motion and stability of the ankle joint, The BetterGuard is 40% lighter with 27% greater mobility compared to conventional ankle braces.
In clinical trials, athletes who wore The BetterGuard returned to play 54.4% faster, reducing the risk of severe ankle injuries by 62.5% compared to traditional recovery methods.
What makes The BetterGuard so unique is its problem-solving approach. Knowing the importance of mobility and high-velocity movements for the athletes, their engineers decided to lead with science. By developing specialized testing benches to evaluate the functionality and effectiveness of adaptive ankle protection, and partnering with sports medicine professionals, The BetterGuard today is able to offer unparalleled support and injury prevention for athletes.
NBA Launchpad selected the BetterGuards to work alongside league and team officials focusing on ankle injury prevention and recovery. It allowed The BetterGuard to officially launch at NBA Summer League 2023 as the first-of-its-kind adaptive ankle protection system, giving athletes dynamic support without sacrificing their freedom of movement.
According to Hashtag Basketball’s database, the most common injury that made NBA players miss games since 2010 was a sprained ankle, with 25% of them suffering from it in any season. That is over 4,000 times of missed games and 15 years’ worth of action.
That won’t be the case anymore. All-star athletes across the NBA, NFL, and NCAA, can rely on The BetterGuard to keep them in the game and sustain their competitive edge. With incredibly lightweight ankle support that won’t slow them down, athletes can trustingly pivot, jump, and run while preventing injury.
The BetterGuard is made with breathable, ultra-lightweight materials composed of different polyester, TPUs, and small metal parts. The mini ankle stabilizer is a micro hydraulic fluid system that can withstand external elements and intense workouts. The exposed construction gives it a sleek, minimalist appearance, making it 40% lighter than traditional ankle braces, and offers greater mobility and protection without excess weight.
Operated with carbon-neutral shipping and fulfilment, The BetterGuard is designed, tested, and manufactured in Europe. It is available in sizes S, M, L, XL, and XXL for both women and men, in either black or grey colours.
Designed by the company’s CTO and Founder Vinz Bichler, The BetterGuard was awarded the Sport Gear Design of the Year by the FIT Sport Design Awards.
Its science-led approach and commitment to evidence-based research are what make its ankle braces effective and ensure the ankle protection system’s effectiveness.
