Abe Avender talks in this video about the effectiveness of ankle braces and ankle tape.

In his opinion, there aren't any benefits in the absence of an injury. In fact, he says the perception of benefits is psychological, not physical.

"My brain knows when there's something wrapped around me," he says. "So the security of the tape job isn't because the tape is doing anything; it's because it feels like there's something there."

Avender says the greatest brace is your tissue -- your muscles and ligaments.

"If you're supporting them in something structural all the time, it decreases the quality of the tissue," he says. "Unless that player has had the worst fracture in history or a Grade 3 sprain, where they probably need a brace for a while, taking away from what muscles and ligaments are supposed to do longterm with a really rigid ankle brace is detrimental to the tissue."

Avender also talks about orthotics. He says they are useful in certain circumstances -- for instance, for athletes with flat feet -- but not necessary for most players with normal feet.