Ankle Taping
- Position the ankle in 90° of dorsiflexion
- Use heel and lace pads in areas of high friction to prevent blisters and cuts
- Use J-wrap to protect the skin
- Clinical Tip: Tape directly to skin or use minimal J-wrap for maximum protection
Ankle Taping - Anchors
- Around mid-calf inferior to the gastroc-achilles tendon junction
- Around base of foot approximating the base of 5th metatarsal
Ankle Taping - Basketweave
- Stirrups
- Medial to lateral stirrups pulling under calcaneous
- Horseshoe
- Medial to lateral horseshoe
- Repeat each step 3 times forming a basket weave
- Clinical Tip!
- Stirrups start posterior to malleolus (#1), on malleolus (#2) and anterior to malleolus (#3)
- Horseshoes, start inferior to malleolus (#1), on malleolus (#2) and superior to malleouls (#3)
Ankle Taping - Close
- Close with individual circular strips on calf
- Clinical Tip!
- Do not use a continuous taping procedure as it may impede circulation
Ankle Taping - Heel Locks
- Apply medial and lateral heel locks
- 1-2 per side
- Apply figure 8 with continuous medial and lateral heel locks
Finished Product and Cutting Off
- Apply circular strips to close any open areas
- Remove tape with tape cutters in the area of the least boney prominence.
- Pull tape away from skin as you remove the tape
Ankle Taping Variations
- Clinical Tip!
- Use Elastikon for heel locks and figure 8 to give maximal support
- Clinical Tip!
- Use moleskin (right) or Elastikon (below right) for stirrups for additional support
- Best used with acute moderate to severe ankle sprains
Lateral Ankle Sprain: Open Basketweave
- Used for acute ankle sprains to provide support and stability when using a partial weight bearing gait
- Anchors on calf and mid-foot
- Alternate stirrups (~5) and horse shoe strips (~5) leaving the middle open
