Wrist, Ankle, Knee wraps/braces/etc.

[Zero V]

Big question. I see most people going on about the whole "no gloves, makes you more manly" and people seem to generally avoid most things save for wrist straps and belts for heavy lifts like deads n such.

My wrists are thin, and I have a history of injury with em. My left knee has a history of injuries, and both my knees took a alot of wear during wrestling(you guys who wrestled know what I mean when it comes to shooting, dropping on the knees and everything else), and I have Achilles Tendinitis in both my legs lol.

Basically I sound like a machine gun when I move in the morning, and roughly every 4-6 hours there after.

So the question comes, would it be wise for someone in my shoes to use gloves with wrist support, and ankle wraps(on leg day) to prevent further damage? The knee support I can do without for a few more years. I am only 22, but my list of injuries is long.

Sometimes during training, I my wrists literally just say no more, and every lift after is a combat against the weight, and against the pain in my wrist that feels like fire. As for my ankles, they are hit and miss, completely random about pain. My left leg today though would make any leg attempts impossible cuz it has a bit of flare up in the tendon.

Thanks ahead!

 

[fritzer]

go nuts on the straps etc. skrew the gym attitude. doesnt matter if you are 40 with arthritis in your wrists and can't do anything. lift in comfort!

but do what you can without pain or discomfort on your own, maybe at least your warmups etc. or some exercises that dont bother you. but if bicep curls hurt your wrist then wrap those suckers up.

when i go 145lb+ on barbell bicep curl i wrap up my wrists with inzer wraps. you definitly need them going to 185+

 

[jcp2]

I wear wrist wraps, they help tremendously especially if you bench in a shirt. Now they are just one of the things i put on before i train. I also wear knee sleeves from time to time, they are great to keep the knees warm. Comp knee wraps are a little much to wear to train, and if you wear them loose you don't get anymore out of them than sleeves anyway.

 

[AlbinoRhino44]

I only ever wear gloves with wrist support. People say that it helps you lift more, etc. blah blah blah and all that. but they alays lift without gloves, and if i forget mine, i just lift anyway. never affects my form or weights though, the only thing i notice is my hands being torn up from no gloves, but the actual workout/grip/weights/form, i dont even notice a difference. Its all mental. do what you want and f everybody else.

 

[TaPo31]

I see no problem at all with using whatever wraps, gloves, and straps if it allows you to focus more on working out and less on nagging injuries. I personally hate the feel of gloves so I don't wear those, however I always use straps on back day.

 

[Future]

If it helps you and keeps you injury free use it.

 

[BUCKNUTS]

go nuts on the straps etc. skrew the gym attitude. doesnt matter if you are 40 with arthritis in your wrists and can't do anything. lift in comfort!

but do what you can without pain or discomfort on your own, maybe at least your warmups etc. or some exercises that dont bother you. but if bicep curls hurt your wrist then wrap those suckers up.

when i go 145lb+ on barbell bicep curl i wrap up my wrists with inzer wraps. you definitly need them going to 185+

Agreed I was always one of those anti- gloves, wraps, belts, macho(stupid) guys. I wish now I had took more care when I was younger I may not have as many nagging aches and pains now. If that stuff makes lifting more manageable for you use it.

 

[D3vildog]

I use gloves because it feels better to me. Pretty much only when lifting heavy, but i also need new gloves because mine are ancient, and lacking wrist support.

 

[metroba]

Def get some Inzer wraps bro! Knee wraps dont sound too bad for you either

 

[pmiller383]

Get a set of wrist wraps and some work boots and go to town buddy. The key to using all of these supports such as belts and wraps is that you can not let them become a crutch. I have horrible ankles due to being born with a pretty bad club foot, so my ankle mobility is horrible and over the years I have developed a pretty gnarly pronation in my good foot. I am taking a lot of steps to help correct the problems as best I can, but when I train my lower body I use a pair of Timberland type boots that provide a minimal heal elevation along with good support in the ankle and sides of the boot. On a daily basis I will march on a large foam pad to help strengthen the ankles and increase their mobility so that eventually I will not need as much support. As for your wrists, use wraps on your heavy sets, but for your warm ups try going with out them for the first few sets. As for your knees I would look into exercise that are not going to bother them such as Box squats, or exercises that will help them such as Terminal Knee Extensions. If you still want some protection get yourself a set of knee sleeves that are single ply or double ply but a size larger.

As for gloves, don't wear them unless they are preventing a barbell from freezing to your hand in the winter. (Kidding on this, but never have been a fan of gloves and usually only wear a pair when training in the middle of winter, waiting for the barbell to unfreeze.)