Athletic tape provides support and stability for your ankles. This support can be for preventative measures or to help in the healing process of an injured ankle. In the case of an injured or healing ankle, ankle wraps effectively immobilize the ankle to prevent unwanted movement, stretching, and tearing of ligaments. For preventative measures, ankle wraps hinder the flexibility of the ankle in order to keep it from rolling over, tearing ligaments, or breaking of the ankle.
Step 1
Wash your feet with antibacterial soap and dry the area thoroughly.
Step 2
Apply one 2 inch by 2 inch bandage dressing to the front of the ankle at the bend on the top of the foot. Apply the second 2 inch by 2 inch bandage dressing to the back of the ankle, just above the heel of your foot.
Step 3
Wrap the pre-wrap around your ankle in a figure eight fashion. Start from the back of the heel and wrap a full circle around the ankle. Wrap the tape down under the foot and back up the other side. Continue around the ankle again. Wrap a full circuit two to three times.
Step 4
Wrap more pre-wrap around the arch of the foot to have full coverage. Wrap around the ankle to about 2 inches above the ankle bones. Use two layers with the ends of each wrap overlaying the previous lap by about 1 inch.
Step 5
Wrap the athletic tape around the top of the ankle in two separate strips over the pre-wrap. Tape a full circuit around the ankle with each strip overlapping itself by several inches.
Step 6
Apply three separate strips running from one side of your ankle, all the way under the heel of your foot and back up to the opposite side of your ankle. Tape in a 'U' shaped fashion.
Step 7
Wrap a strip of tape around the ankle starting from the top and moving all the way down to the base of the ankle, just overlapping the heel of your foot. Tape downward in a spiral pattern, making sure to have each strip overlap each other by about 1 inch.
Step 8
Wrap athletic tape around the edge of the pre-wrap in the arch of your foot. Tape around your foot in a continuous strip. Overlap the tape by several inches.
Step 9
Wrap more athletic tape under the arch of your foot and back around the ankle in a tight figure eight pattern in the opposite direction of the previous tapings. Apply tape around the heel to secure the taping job firmly in place.
Things You'll Need
- Two 2" x 2" pieces of bandage dressing
- Roll of 1" athletic tape
- Roll of prewrap
