Sports Medicine: Just the Facts

CHAPTER 73 • TAPING AND BRACING 445

ANKLE TAPING

• Inversion taping:Used prophylactically to prevent
  lateral ankle sprains. (Fig. 73-6)
  
  
  1. Anchors are placed around the metatarsals, proxi-
     mal to the base of the fifth metatarsal and 5 in.
     proximal to the malleoulus, distal to the gastrocne-
     mius muscle belly. A stirrup is placed posterior to
     the mallelous in a medial to lateral direction,
     pulling the ankle into dorsiflexion.
  
  
  2. The second stirrup is placed directly over the
     medial mallelous overlapping the first by half. The
     third is placed anterior to the medial mallelous
     overlapping the second by half. Each stirrup is fol-
     lowed by a horseshoe placed from posterior to
     anterior direction.
  
  
  3. The heel is then locked for maximum stability. The
     tape is started high on the instep, pulled along the
     ankle at an angle and around the heel, under the
     arch and up to the opposite side until the starting
     point is reached.
  
  
  4. A second heel lock is applied in the same pattern
     as the first but on the opposite side of the ankle.
  
  
  5. A figure of 8 is applied from the bottom of the foot
     up and around each side of the ankle to form an
     eight. Then an anchor is applied proximal to the
     ankle where the first was placed.
     •Eversion taping: Same as inversion, but the stirrups
     are pulled evenly, both medially and laterally.
  
  
  
  


• Achilles taping: Used to support the Achilles tendon
  following rehabilitation for Achilles tendonitis.
  
  
  1. Anchors are applied approximately 7–9 in. above
     the malleoli and the other around the foot. These
     anchors are wrapped around loosely.
     2. A strip of elastic tape is split in the middle of each
     end. The remaining strips are wrapped around the
     anchor strips. (Fig. 73-7)
     3. Two additional elastic strips are placed in the same
     pattern as the first.
     4. However, the strips are started on either side of the
     ankle and overlapped by half the tape width.
     5. Stretch tape is applied over the tape to close the
     underlying tape.
  
  
  
  

FOOT AND TOE TAPING

• Arch tape (low-dye taping): Used for arch support; com-
  monly used for plantar fasciitis (Saxelby et al, 1997).
  
  
  1. An anchor strip is placed around the ball of the foot.
  
  
  2. A second strip is started on the side of the foot, at
     the base of the first toe.
  
  
  3. The third strip is wrapped around the heel, cross-
     ing the arch and returning to the first toe. The
     fourth strip is placed identical to the third, started
     on the side of the fifth toe.
  
  
  4. This pattern is repeated two to three times over.
  
  
  5. Each strip is locked with a piece of tape around the
     ball of the foot.
  
  
  6. Strips are applied to close the underlying arch tape.
  
  
  7. The arch tape is covered with stretch tape.
     •Toe taping/Buddy taping: Used to immobilize the toes
     for sprains or fractures. Tape strips are placed around
     adjacent distal and middle phalanges.
  
  
  
  

BRACING AND SPLINTING

NASAL FRACTURE

• Nasal shield: Protective shield for nasal fractures—
  used prophylactically to prevent further injury follow-
  FIG. 73-6 Inversion ankle taping. ing nasal bridge fractures.

FIG. 73-7 Achilles taping.