A lateral knee injury is common in sports, and usually occurs when the ankle rolls outward, extending the lateral knee, or the area on the outer side of the knee, and pulling or tearing the ligaments along that side of the knee. After you sustain a tear or bruising of the lateral knee, you may find that you experience general discomfort while becoming mobile again. Taping your knee for lateral support can relieve some of the pain and keep your knee stable to avoid further injury.
Step 1
Bend your injured knee to a 30-degree angle while sitting on the floor in a comfortable position. Place the tape a few inches below your knee on the outer side and stick down carefully to anchor the tape in place by tearing and smoothing it all the way around the leg.
Step 2
Begin a new piece of tape. Pull it from your anchor end point around the shin and then cross the first tape layer just under the kneecap, bringing the tape to the inner side of the knee. Bring the tape behind the knee to the outer side of the lower thigh and anchor in place.
Step 3
Bring the tape from your upper anchoring point back down and under the knee, creating a cross behind the knee. Pull the tape around the front again, coming back to your starting point.
Step 4
Follow the pattern from start to finish again for two complete lateral crosses. This should give your lateral knee enough support to stabilize the ligaments.
Things You'll Need
- Athletic tape
