A German-engineered ankle brace with a micro-hydraulic piston that moves like a joint and locks like a seatbelt - loose in play, rigid the instant your ankle rolls.
Betterguards Technology makes a single, stubborn bet: that athletes should not have to choose between moving freely and being protected. For decades the choices were rigid braces and athletic tape, both of which work by restricting the ankle all the time. Betterguards' answer is a brace that stays loose during normal cutting and jumping, then stiffens in a fraction of a second when the joint rolls the wrong way.
The heart of the product is a patented micro-hydraulic piston. Under normal motion, fluid flows and the joint moves. When a sudden inversion begins - the twist that causes most ankle sprains - the piston resists almost instantly, engaging faster than the human nervous system can react. The company likens it to a seatbelt: unnoticed in ordinary driving, decisive in a crash.
The company was founded in Germany in 2014 by a team of mechanical engineers, after its founder broke his own ankle and found every available brace either too restrictive to play in or too flimsy to protect. That frustration became a decade-long engineering project around one contradiction: free movement and firm protection in the same device.
Today the brace is engineered near Berlin and sold from a commercial base in New York. Since shipping the first BetterGuard in 2023, it has moved from a promising prototype into the locker rooms of the NBA, NFL, MLS, MLB and NCAA - a rare path for a piece of hardware in a category that had barely changed in a generation.
During normal running, cutting and jumping, hydraulic fluid flows through the piston and the ankle bends naturally. No stiffness, no restriction - the brace behaves like tape you can barely feel.
When the ankle begins a sudden inversion - the fast inward twist behind most sprains - the piston senses the abnormal load and begins to resist within milliseconds, before the joint reaches a dangerous angle.
The piston stiffens to stabilize the joint, reacting up to four times faster than the human body's own reflex. Once the danger passes, it releases and full mobility returns.
"Since 2010, ankle injuries have led to more missed time than any other injury. We are excited to bring the latest alternative to traditional braces and taping to the market." Tony Verutti — Chief Executive Officer
The flagship and most advanced model, refining the micro-hydraulic system, fit and materials over every previous version.
Powered by the BG ULTRA module; reacts roughly 4x faster than the body to stabilize a sudden roll. Offered in Black and a new ICE colorway.
An ultra-lightweight build at about 60 grams - roughly 65% lighter than a traditional brace - for athletes who want a minimal, low-profile feel.
The first commercial product, which introduced the adaptive micro-hydraulic brace to professional sport and kicked off league adoption.
Compression performance socks sold alongside the braces, rounding out an athlete's kit.
The R&D and scientific validation arm, backed by an advisory board of PhDs, orthopedic surgeons and rehabilitation specialists.
Competitors in ankle support - McDavid, Bauerfeind, Zamst, DonJoy, Aircast, Mueller and plain athletic tape - largely work by limiting range of motion. Betterguards' differentiation is timing: the device is passive until the biomechanical signature of a sprain appears, then it acts. That is why the company positions itself less as a brace brand and more as a movement-protection technology company.
Betterguards sells to two audiences at once. On the professional side, the brace is worn by Tier 1 athletes across the NBA, NFL, MLS, MLB and NCAA, including roughly 30 top collegiate programs and four national Olympic teams. Endorsement from performance staff - among them Keke Lyles, a former director of performance for the Golden State Warriors - helped it cross from novelty into serious kit.
On the consumer side, the target is everyday and youth athletes, roughly ages 12 to 20, buying directly online. Products are HSA/FSA eligible and sold without a prescription, which lets the company reach the athlete rather than waiting on a clinic. It is a deliberate reversal of the usual sports-medicine funnel: science and athlete adoption first, doctor recommendation second.
A direct-to-consumer e-commerce model on Shopify, selling braces and accessories worldwide, complemented by team and professional adoption. Positioned as a non-prescription alternative to taping and rigid braces.
The company is engineering-led, born from mechanical engineers and grounded in a scientific advisory board of PhDs, orthopedic surgeons and rehab specialists. Its edge is biomechanics and hydraulics, not fabric.
Betterguards sits at the intersection of sports medicine, wearable hardware and consumer sporting goods - a niche it largely defined by making adaptive support a category of its own.
Mechanical engineers set out to reinvent ankle protection after the founder's own injury.
Raised roughly $5.5M, backed by German public investment banks and research grants.
Chosen as one of five companies to develop ankle injury protection technology with the league.
The BetterGuard 1.0 launched; Tony Verutti appointed CEO effective April 25, 2023.
Unveiled the BG ULTRA-powered 2.0 and the ultra-light Lite amid rapid revenue growth.
Released its most advanced adaptive ankle brace to date.