Thai kickboxers usually wrap their hands in bandages and tape to protect them from injury during a match. Some fighters like to do the same with their ankles, but according to the rules of Thai kickboxing, or muay Thai, this is not allowed. Thai kickboxers are allowed to use an ankle support, but not ankle tape or bandages.
Ankle Wrapping
The purpose of wrapping and taping your ankles before a fight is to minimize the risks of injury. Some fighters may have already hurt their ankles in a previous match or a training injury, and ankle-wrapping can give the additional support needed to reduce the risk of a second incident. There is more than one effective method for wrapping either the hand or the ankle, but the basic idea is simply to wrap bandages around the area and then tape them in place.
The Rules
The rules of Thai kickboxing state that bandages must be no wider than 2 inches across and no longer than 12 yards. They must be soft, and they must held in position by soft tape that is not made of metal or plastic. In addition, they cannot be worn anywhere except on the hands. This means that they cannot be used to wrap the ankles in an official, licensed muay Thai kickboxing match, although they could be used in a casual training bout or practice session.
Ankle Supports
Although Thai kickboxers are not allowed to use ankle taping, the rules allow for the use of ankle supports as long as the fighter uses no more than one on each foot. The ankle supports used in Thai kickboxing look much like a pair of socks without toes or heels. The ankle supports are optional, and not every fighter chooses to use them. However, for a fighter with a previous ankle injury, they may be preferable to having no ankle protection at all.
Exceptions
Although the rules against wrapping and taping the ankles apply to official Thai kickboxing matches in Thailand, they may not apply to every venue where a Thai kickboxer might compete. Thai kickboxing tournaments outside of Thailand sometimes use local variations on the rules. In addition, a Thai kickboxer may wish to compete in a kickboxing tournament that is not limited to the muay Thai style, or in a mixed martial arts match under one of the different rule sets for that type of competition. If you are planning to fight in the ring and you prefer to tape your ankles, check the rules for the specific tournament in which you'll be fighting.
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