Ankle Taping

 

If you have weak ankles or have had a recent ankle injury you may wish to have your ankles taped or wear a brace. Click hereto access additional information on our site about sprains and their treatment.

There are numerous methods of taping taught to and by trainers, many of which are readily available in online videos, including that used by Texas A&M University as shown in the two part video presentation at the bottom of this page. If you choose to tape your ankles, you may want to utilize the following method which is similar to the A&M demonstration.

The ankle taping diagrammed below includes an optional basket weave involing the stipup and horsehoe portions. It also involves optional double heel locks as well as a figure eight wrap prior to a full closure with tape strips.

This particular procedure provides primary support to the outside of the ankle, which is the most often sprained area, an ankle inversion. For a sprain to the inside of the ankle, an ankle eversion, perform the same operations as shown, but reverse the inside and outside of the leg.

Taping Preparation

Shave the ankle and lower leg. Clean the area and apply no lotion, body oil or similar lubricant. Spray the area with a quick drying skin adhesive or Tuff Skin. These sprays may contain Isopropyl Alcohol, Isobutane, Rosin, and/or Benzoin and should not be used if you are allergic to any of these ingredients. If available you may place heal and lace pads on the front of the ankle and the Achilles tendon. Wrap the entire ankle with pre-wrap if you wish.

Anchors (red): Place 2 or 3 strips of tape around the lower leg beginning where the calf muscle transitions to the Achilles tendon. These are used to provide a starting and stopping point for other pieces of tape. Stirups (yellow): This method of taping has the stirups and the horseshoes in a basketweave, which is optional for added strength. All of the stirups may be first appllied followed by the Horseshoes.  Start the strips of tape on the inside of the leg on the anchors. Pull the stirups under the heal and stop them on the outside of the lower leg on the anchors.  These are among the most important tape strips in this procedure and must be pulled upward on the outside of the leg quite tight. Horseshoes (blue) : Start on either the inside or outside of the ankle, make one  revolution of the lower leg with the tape. These may be fully closed with up to 2" overlap or or left open. Double Heel Locks (turquoise): Start on the inside of the ankle on an angle towards the bottom of the heel. (#1) Bring the tape up on the outside of the heel towards the rear of the heel. (#2) Allow the tape to then come back to the front of the ankle on the inside of the joint try to have the tape travel over the inside "ankle bone".(#3) Bring the tape back towards the rear of the ankle on the outside of the joint try to have the tape travel over the outside "ankle bone". (#4) Pull the tape down the inside of the heal towards the bottom of the foot. (#5) Finish this strip by bringing the tape from the bottom of the foot up the outside of the ankle to your starting point. (#6) Repeat the heel lock procedure (#7 through #12) and thereby create two double heel locks. Figure Eight (green): Proceed across the top of the foot and downward on the inside to the bottom of the foot and continue toward the outside. (#13) Contiunue upward on the outside of the foot to the top. (#14). Wrap around the top of the foot and across the inside of the ankle backward toward the Achilles. (#15) Continue around the ankle toward the outside top of the foot. (#16) Wrap downward across the top and inside of the foot to the bottom and continue to the outside. (#17) Continue up the outside of the foot across the top and finish on the inside at or near the anklebone protrusion. (#18) Closing Strips (purple): Closing strips are used to secure the tape job and ensure that there are no holes. If there are any holes in your tape job cover them with the closing strips to the best of your ability. Start your closing strips at  the top of the ankle taping to prevent the placement of a sock over the tape from pulling the tape up.