In the beginning of our ‘How To Strap’ series, we looked at a simple method of “How to Strap an Ankle“. In this article I would like to expand on that, by showing you how to tape an ankle that is extremely unstable, or that needs extra support.
Most ankle injuries occur when the ankle or foot is rolled to an inverted position, where the lateral ligaments on the outside of the ankle can be sprained or damaged. This type of injury is very common in running-sports like Football, Rugby, Netball, Basketball & Soccer.
Re-Occurring Ankle Injuries & Ankle Instability
Sometimes an athlete may have a history of a re-occuring ankle sprain, where the ankle may feel weak, and they don’t trust the stability of the joint during physical activity. In this case, extra ankle support is required to give the ankle stability and the althete the confidence to compete at their best.
I would like to share with you a video that shows a great technique for providing extra support for the ankle using ankle strapping tape, courtesy of highly experienced Sports Trainer, Cam Wray. Enjoy!
Great Technique to Tape an Ankle for Extra Support
[youtube width=”480″ height=”360″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sRtN-gngn0[/youtube]
As you can see from the video, this technique is very similiar to the Cam’s basic ankle taping method, with the use of anchors and 2-3 stirrups. He also uses 3 Adidas strips on the outside of the ankle and then finishes off with 2 calcaneal sling techniques (half heal locks) alternating on opposite sides.
While learning how to tape an ankle correctly is important, so is using quality of supplies for the job.
What items do you need to Tape an Ankle?
Fortunately, you don’t need to many different supplies to tape an ankle. But to get the job done properly, you will need the following items depending on your exact purpose:
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Optional items you may wish to use:
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Preparation to Strap an Ankle
As previously, for optimum results when taping the ankle, it is recommended to prepare the ankle by doing the following:
- Shave off any hair around the area on the ankle being taped.
- Cover any wounds with Non-Stick Wound pads
- Use Orthopedic foam padding to protect any tender areas at the sides, front or top of the ankle or back of the achillies.
Ankle Injury Management
As with most ligament injuries, active physiotherapy rehabilitation is the best form of treatment for chronic ankle instability. This normally includes soft tissue massage and strengthening motion exercises, which are ideal to stimulate ligament repair and strength.
Good ankle taping techniques during this period can really assist to speed up recovery, and reduce the time where an athlete is out of action.
But as always, seek advice from a professional physiotherapist for a proper diagnosis.
Did this Article Help?
This article is the 5th article in the SportStrap’s “How To Strap A …….” series, in case you missed the previous articles, you can find them here:
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Have a most outstanding day,
Cade Arnel
SportStrap.com.au ©2012
It can be really frustrating (and costly for pros) when an injury prevents you from taking part in your chosen sport, so taping your ankle for supreme support seems like smart, preventative action.
I have a number of friends who have recently had ankle problems. I’ll be pointing them to your post to ensure they know how to tape their ankle
Thanks Tania. Glad you found the article helpful
What a good idea, it is so easy to sprain an ankle and so painful. Love the idea of the underwrap foam, beats ripping off tape.
Hi Kerry,
Yeah Underwrap is great, it saves a lot pain during tape removal, and can even avoid any skin irritations for sensitive skin.
A rolled ankle can be extremly painful, so to know how to tape an ankle for extreme support and to do so before anything happens is really important for any serious Sports person.
Thanks for sharing your tips and knowledge with us
Ohhh that photo brings back memories!
I’m sharing this with everyone – even when we’re not thinking what we are doing is extreme, it sure doesn’t take much to change our minds about ankle injuries that are extreme to the nth degree! This is a valuable post, thank you.
Great information! Thanks for sharing this ankle pain is commonly seen in sportsmen but post being very helpful to know how to cure this pain.
Ankle pain due to sprain is a big problem. This information would be useful not only for people at professional level, but also for anyone who is into playing sports with a high risk of ankle sprain. Anything to prevent injury to Ankle must always be done.