1. Giving Support to the Achilles Tendon During Healing
You can use athletic tape to secure the foot in a comfortable position that keeps the Achilles tendon from moving during its recovery. You may need to apply a spray adhesive to the affected lower leg, from the ankle to just below the knee, to allow for trouble-free taping. Once you apply the spray, wrap the lower leg with a pre-tape underwrap, a paper thin wrap that protects the skin from irritation caused by the athletic tape. Start taping with a two-inch athletic stretch tape and place two strips of the tape around the middle of the foot for an anchor. Place two strips around the leg at the top of the bulge of the calf muscle for another anchor. Allow room for flexing of the calf by leaving an opening of about one centimeter in the tape. Lie face down and get a partner to place a piece of stretch tape from the foot anchor to the calf anchor. Run this piece over the heel and up the back of the leg, forcing the tape to stretch a bit, leaving a gap between the tape and the back of the foot just above the heel. Apply another long strip of stretch tape from the calf anchor, at the outside, and bring it down the leg at a diagonal on the inside of the leg forward of the heel. Wrap it around the foot anchor. Continue with this piece back up the outside of the leg at a diagonal to finish on the inside of the leg at the calf anchor.
2. Foot and Leg Tape Anchors
Start taping an Achilles tendon after shaving the affected leg. Apply adhesive tape around the middle of the foot and again at the top of the calf. Run a strip of the tape from the bottom of the foot at the tape anchor, over the heel and up the back of the lower leg to the calf anchor. Apply a strip from the foot anchor, just to the outside of the first strip, and attach it to the calf anchor. Repeat this step just to the inside of the first adhesive strip. Cover the ends of these strips with adhesive tape around the middle of the foot and again at the calf. Support these with tape from the side of the calf, around the ankle and up the other side. Tape around the lower leg to tighten these strips in place.
3. Wrap Around Straps
You can purchase ready-made straps to support a ruptured Achilles tendon. These straps fit either the left or right foot and come with specific wrapping instructions with each particular brand. They fit snugly over the heel and center of the foot to offer support with attached foam padding and Velcro and are an easy way to wrap comfortably.
