I sprained my ankle playing basketball about 8 months ago. It healed pretty quickly and I started using an old ankle brace that I have. Then I had a doozy of a sprain on the same ankle about a month ago... WITH THE OLD BRACE ON. I didn't think that could happen. Somehow I hurt ligaments and tendons on both sides of the ankle, high and low. X-rays showed no breaks though. I'm just now starting to play again. I bought this McDavid Lightweight model and have been very impressed with it. It's a sturdy material that gives a lot more support than my old brace. And it has the steel stays for even more support. It doesn't feel like it hurts my "quickness" any more than the old brace did. It pretty much keeps the ankle from turning but allows you to extend it without too much resistance. It's a quality brace. 5 stars