Ankle Brace Cost

Typical costs:

• For patients covered by health insurance, the typical out-of-pocket cost for a doctor-prescribed ankle brace consists of a durable goods copay or coinsurance of 10%-50%. An ankle brace typically is covered by health insurance if it is prescribed by a doctor.
• For patients not covered by health insurance, an ankle brace typically costs about $20-$200 or more, depending on the type of brace and the condition being treated. The cost tends to be lower for a brace made from elastic or fabric that offers light to moderate support, and higher for a brace made of plastic or lightweight metal that offers maximum support. For example, BetterBraces.com offers ankle braces for injuries for $7-$75, and CVS offers basic ankle braces for about $10-$50. BraceShop.com charges from about $20-$100 or more for an ankle brace for Achilles tendonitis. Walgreens charges about $10 for an elastic ankle brace to about $100 for a hard-shell walking boot. BraceShop.com charges from about $25-$115 for an ankle brace for a sprain. BraceShop.com charges $15-$150 for an ankle brace for osteoarthritis. And BraceShope.com charges about $30-$220 for a brace for ankle instability or tendon injury.

• A brace can be used to reduce swelling and provide support for a sprained ankle^[1] and also can be worn to prevent sprains in athletes.
• A brace can be used to support the joints and help reduce pain in patients with osteoarthritis in the ankle^[2] .
• A brace can be used to provide support for patients with ankle instability^[3] . For mild cases, a lace-up cloth brace might be used, while a boot might be used for more severe cases.
• In some cases, a doctor will recommend or prescribe an off-the-shelf brace, but in other cases, an orthotist^[4] will evaluate, help design and fit a patient with a brace.

• Crutches typically cost about $15-$100.
• In some cases, such as after an injury or surgery, physical therapy might be required at a cost of about $50-$350 per session.

• Drug stores and websites that sell braces sometimes may offer coupons or special offers. For example, BraceShop.com has a savings club^[5] that offers a 5% discount for signing up.

• A family doctor or sports medicine doctor can prescribe a prophylactic brace to prevent sports injuries, while an orthopedic surgeon -- preferably one who specializes in conditions of the foot and ankle -- can treat injuries and perform surgery, and a rheumatologist can treat arthritis. The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society offers a locator for orthopedic surgeons^[6] who specialize in conditions of the foot and ankle; and the American College of Rheumatology offers a rheumatologist locator^[7] .
• In some cases, a patient may need to see an orthotist, a certified health professional who specializes in braces and other orthotics, to get evaluated and fitted for a brace. The American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics offers an orthotist locator^[8] by state.

1.  orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00150
2.  www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/guide/foot-ankle-osteoarthritis
3.  www.foothealthfacts.org/footankleinfo/chronic-ankle-instability.htm
4.  oandpcare.org/OrthoticCareFaq
5.  www.braceshop.com/productcart/pc/viewContent.asp?idPage=151
6.  www.abos.org/find-a-certified-orthopaedic-surgeon.aspx
7.  www.rheumatology.org/directory/geo.asp
8.  www.abcop.org/Pages/Directory.aspx?searchtype=Facility

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