Have you noticed that most all ankle braces are made with either fabric in the case of lace-ups, or rigid plastics in the case of stirrup or hinged designs?
When designing a modern preventative ankle brace to replace the century old lace-up corset design we were faced with some overwhelming design challenges. We did not want to use a fabric material because fabric stretches and loosens the longer you wear it. Plus it collects bacteria and can develop an unpleasant odor, even after laundering. However, making a low-profile, tight-fitting preventative ankle brace using a rigid plastic would be significantly uncomfortable. Our design goal was to develop a bridge material between fabric and rigid plastics.
We developed an advanced thermoplastic resin material called Performathane® custom-fit soft shell technology which will change everything you think about ankle bracing.
The unique properties of a thermoplastic resin is that it will flex and form to the ankle with body heat generated during a practice or game. This unique forming property drove us to develop the first preventative ankle brace that will custom-fit to the ankle, the Ultra Zoom®.
Just after a brief break-in period of a practice or two, the Performathane soft shell form-fits to the ankle. The benefits of a custom-fit ankle brace are significant. It’s incredibly comfortable, lower profile, tighter fitting and more supportive because it takes the shape of the ankle.
Now you have a choice when it comes to recommending a preventative ankle brace to your athletes. Corset lace-ups restrict range of motion, loose support rapidly, collect bacteria and stink, are a pain to fit and they wear out quickly. Contrast this century old lace-up design to the advanced Ultra Zoom®, a custom-fit low profile performance ankle brace that allows full range of motion for long lasting ankle support. The Ultra Zoom® is easy to apply, fits in any athletic shoe and offers multi-season durability which makes it a great value over lace-ups.
- Rick Peters
- March 15, 2016
- 12:30 pm
- One Comment
SHARE WITH FRIENDS
RECENT POSTS
ULTRA ANKLE AMBASSADORS
POST BY TOPIC
- Acute Ankle Injuries (3)
- Ankle Bracing (25)
- Ankle Injuries (5)
- Ankle Injury Prevention (4)
- Ankle Instability (1)
- Athletic Trainers (6)
- Athletic Training (18)
- Basketball (4)
- Football (4)
- Hiking (1)
- Mild/Moderate Ankle Injury (2)
- News (1)
- Osteoarthritis (1)
- Soccer (1)
- Softball (1)
- Sports (15)
- Tennis (1)
- Ultra CTS (6)
- Ultra Zoom (4)
- Uncategorized (1)
- Volleyball (11)
One response to “Thermoplastic Resin Creates Custom-Fit Brace”
I am presently wearing a lace up brace I would like to know the difference between the zoom brace and the ultra zoom because due to being a type 2 diabetic my skin on my chin is very sensitive and will tear very easily so I can’t wear any brace that is too high up on my leg.
Hello Stanley. I am one of the athletic trainers here at Ultra Ankle that help individuals select and fit Ultra Ankle braces. The Ultra Zoom is about 7 inches tall, the same height as your lace-up. Compared to the Lace-up the Ultra Zoom will provide more ankle support and allow natural up and down ankle movement to help keep your muscles strong.
Your question is, “what the difference between the zoom brace and the ultra zoom.” The zoom brace and the Ultra Zoom are the same brace. Perhaps you can clarify your question.