Making Your Strapping Applications Perfect

You need to do some strapping, but how do you make sure you get the best results from your tape every single time? Here’s WRU Physio Ben Warburton’s top 5 pearls of wisdom. Follow these and your strapping applications will be the talk of the team.

There are A LOT of different tapes available. Zinc Oxide, EAB, K Tape. 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! 

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.

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.

Sorry lads, but hair and tape really don’t mix. You need a good surface area 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 tour strapping tapes stays on for the whole game.

Always do a quick circulation check when you’re 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.