From our experience, ankles are the most common joint you'll see getting strapped up.
When you’re ankle strapping you're going to want to look to choose a tape with a high tensile strength and no stretch. There’s nothing more frustrating to a player than them rolling their ankle when it was supposed to have been taped up securely.
That doesn't mean there aren't other options, but Zinc Oxide Tape is the best choice for ankle strapping and offers unrivalled support. Choose the Tan version for the highest tensile strength. They can be ripped by hand, which will make your applications faster and hopefully get your player off the treatment bed in record time.
WHAT IS THE BEST TAPE FOR ANKLE STRAPPING:
WHY USE ANKLE STRAPPING?
Like we said, taping the ankle is common in all sports that require a lot of lateral movement; such as rugby, netball, basketball, hockey and football. Strapping the ankle with a Zinc Oxide Tape can prevent the ankle from rolling inwards. This'll also provide additional support to the foot when performing quick changes of direction.
Just to make sure that we're all on the same page, let's take a closer look at exactly what Zinc Oxide Tape is.
If you want to skip this lesson and get straight to the application, check out our ankle strapping tutorial right here!
WHAT IS ZINC OXIDE TAPE?
Zinc Oxide Tape is the perfect choice if you need to immobilise an area.
When it comes to strapping, we would always recommend the Tan/Brown rolls. Because of it’s high tensile strength, the most common use of Zinc Oxide Tape is to support joints such as the knee, shoulder and, in our case, the ankle. You won’t usually see it on show though – it’s usually hidden by a sock or jersey.
Now that we have that, let's take a deeper look into strapping. How can we perfect our applications?
HOW TO PERFECT YOUR STRAPPING APPLICATIONS
1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT TAPE
There are a lot of different tapes available. We've already discussed Zinc Oxide. But, how do you know what the best option is? Like choosing between Ronaldo and Messi, it can often be a toss-up. Doing some research beforehand to understand what each individual strapping tape can do will make your decision making process far quicker!
For us, a combination of Zinc Oxide Tape and a Tear EAB is the way forward!
2. TAPE IN THE DESIRED POSITION
Taping doesn’t have to be rocket science, but does require a bit of common sense. Think about your positioning, and get into the right position before you tape. If you’re trying to prevent a particular movement, tape in a way that restricts that movement. If it hurts laterally, tape it medially. Strapping is all about thinking.
3. PRACTISE RIPPING
Most of the tapes you’re going to be using can be ripped by hand, so put the scissors away and get practicing. It'll make your life a lot easier and make taping a lot faster in the long run. Plus, it means your strapping applications looks slick to everyone around you.
4. PREPARE THE SKIN
Sorry lads, but hair and tape really don’t mix. You need a good surface area around your ankle to stick the tape to otherwise it will be peeling before you even put your shirt on! A quick trim can make a huge difference. Then on those super-sweaty areas, use a Pre-Tape Spray to make sure that your strapping tapes stay on for the whole game.
5. TEST AND RE-TEST
Always do a quick circulation test before using strapping tapes, as it’s really easy to tape them too tightly. All you need to do is pinch the area, and check whether the colour comes back within 2 seconds. If so, you’re good to go. If it feels restrictive then just remove the tape and start again. It’s that simple.
CAN YOU USE KINESIOLOGY TAPE?
Kinesiology Tape can also be used to support the ankle. It’s perfect if you still need to maintain a level of flexibility through the ankle joint. It'll aid proprioception if your athlete needs a neural response to correct their ankle positioning. Plus it will not restrict movement.
If you don't know, Kinesiology Tape is a stretchy, cotton (or synthetic) tape designed to mimic the elasticity of the skin. It’s used by athletes and therapists worldwide to provide proprioceptive feedback, pain relief and support to joints, muscles and tendons.
Check out our application video on how to tape an ankle using Kinesiology Tape right here.
And that's it! That's what tapes you need to be looking at using for your ankle strap applications. If you have any further questions about anything we've discussed, get in touch! We'd love to help.
