How To Wrap An Ankle

How To Wrap An Ankle For Support: An Easy Step

Sprained Ankle? How to Wrap Ankle Sprains Correctly! (Updated)

Research states that approximately 40% of ankle injuries are sprained ankle where half of the injuries record by basketball, soccer, and football players.

That means, there have always a threat to experience sprained ankle during moderate to high-impact activities.

However, Several ankle supports like ACE Bandage, KT Tape, or joint braces help to recover these injuries fast. But sometimes it seems troublesome to bind them properly.

If you are suffering from such a wound and looking for easy and simple hacks check our ultimate guide on How To Wrap An Ankle For Support.

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What Is A Grade 2 Ankle Sprain

A more severe sprain, but incomplete tear with moderate pain, swelling and bruising. The damaged areas are difficult to walk in and it feels somewhat stable. Complete tear of the medial collateral ligament and medial meniscus. The MCL is the largest and most important of all the ligaments in the knee. It connects the patella with the femur .

It is also the most commonly injured knee joint. A complete tear results in a complete loss of knee flexion and knee extension, as well as the ability to bend and straighten the leg. This injury is often referred to as a meniscal tear.

S For Removing Athletic Tape

Use a pair of bandage scissors to slide the scissors under the tape.

Cut the tape gently until you have made a large cut over most of the tape.

Slowly peel the tape away from the skin.

If the tape is especially persistent, consider using an adhesive remover wipe. These can dissolve the adhesive and are usually safe for skin as long as theyre labeled as such.

Shop for adhesive remover wipes online.

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Should You Wrap A Sprained Ankle Overnight

The opinions for wrapping an ankle at night vary. Since you are lying down to rest, you probably wont need a wrap for swelling control or comfort. If you are an active sleeper and find ankle movement is affecting your sleep quality due to pain and discomfort, you may trial wearing a wrap or brace overnight. Do not wear anything at night if your skin sensation is limited, as it can lead to skin compromise. Be cautious not to wrap your foot to snugly and cause blood restriction too.

When considering the use of this information, if youre not sure what option is best for you, get the advice of a doctor, such as your family medicine doctor. It may be useful to seek more specialized advice from an orthopedist, physical therapist, or podiatrist, for the best-recommended ankle support options.

What Is A Sprained Ankle

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If one or more of the ligaments supporting the bones in your ankle stretches too far and starts to tear, you have a sprained ankle that will require treatment.

A sprain is simply an abnormal stretching of a ligament. If a ligament tears completely, its a much more serious injury that often requires surgery to repair.

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Wrapping A Sprained Ankle With An Elastic Ankle Brace

Most times, braces are used for supporting your ankle if youre doing a lot of walking, exercise, or sports after your sprained ankle is mostly healed. There are different kinds of braces, some of which have Velcro straps, some have laces, and some just fit snuggly around your ankle.

Lace-Up Brace: Insert your heel in the hole at the bottom of the brace, then tie the laces snuggly . Wrap the inside strap across the top of your foot, then continue wrapping the strap under your foot and heel.

Velcro Brace: Insert your heel in the hole at the bottom of the brace. Secure the Velcro hook to the loop on the outside of the ankle and pull the strap tight. Wrap the outside strap across the top of your foot and continue with wrapping the strap under the foot and heel.

Elastic/Compression Brace: Slip the brace on like you would a sock. Depending on the type, the balls of your feet will be exposed, as well as your heel. Make sure to get the correct size when shopping for these types of braces.

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How To Wrap Ankle With Elastic Bandage

Wrap the bandage around the ball of your foot once, keeping it somewhat taut with a light pull. Continue circling your way around the arch of the foot after this. Repeat for the other side. Repeat this process on the opposite foot, and then repeat the process for both feet. You should be able to do this in about 10 minutes.

What is a Grade 3 ankle sprain?

The Process Of Wrapping A Kt Wrap

Sprained Ankle? How to Wrap Ankle Sprains – Correct

It includes-

Step-1

Cut the tape at the required size if it comes altogether on a roll. The tape should cover the whole area of your heel and ankle, going underneath. So, size the strip before the cut.

Step-2

Sit somewhere conveniently. Though there is no this or that way rule to sit, at a 90-degree angle with your foot will allow reaching your ankle easily.

Step-3

Twist and tear off at the middle of a strip and take aside the pasted paper a bit. Then stretch the tape approximately 50% and place the uncovered portion in between the arch and heel of your feet. Press firmly to adhere thoroughly with no bubbles.

Step-4

Now pull the whole paper from both sides, stretch the tape and then place them crosswise at the front of your ankle.

Step-5

Get the 2nd strip, twist and tear, uncover the adhesive part and then wrap it the same way around the Achilles Tendon, ankle, and above the heel. The KT will end up with a cross wrap at the neck of the ankle.

And this time, you have to maintain 100% stretch before pasting it.

Thats all. Now you are ready to go

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What May Cause A Sprained Ankle

A sprained ankle is a very common injury. It can happen if you trip and fall or jump and land with your foot at the wrong angle.

Runners sometimes sprain an ankle if they step on something that causes their ankle to roll over. Playing any sport where you might step on someones foot and turn your ankle is a risk for this injury.

Diagnosing a sprained ankle doesnt always require a doctors examination. The following are symptoms of a sprained ankle:

pain, especially when you put your weight on the injured foot
tenderness to the touch
limited range of motion

When to see your doctor

If your injury is more serious, you may need to see a doctor. Simply resting and wrapping your ankle at home may not be sufficient or safe. Signs that your sprained ankle needs a medical evaluation include:

pain and swelling that dont subside within a day or so of your injury

instability in the ankle joint, suggesting a torn ligament or bone fracture

a popping sensation at the moment you hurt your ankle

For serious ankle injuries, an imaging test, such as an X-ray, MRI, CT scan, or ultrasound may be ordered to allow a doctor to see the extent of your ligament damage and to check for broken bones.

Should I Put A Sock On My Sprained Ankle

If you have a sprained ankle, you may be wondering whether or not you should put a sock on it. The answer depends on the severity of the injury.

For a minor sprain, wrapping the ankle with an Ace bandage or wearing a compression sock can help to reduce swelling and support the joint.

However, if you have a more severe sprain, its important to see a doctor.

They may recommend wearing a splint or brace to stabilize the ankle and prevent further injury.

In either case, its important to avoid putting too much stress on the joint by walking or standing for long periods of time.

So if youre feeling pain or swelling in your ankle, be sure to take it easy and seek medical attention if needed.

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Desired But Not Required First Steps

Apply a base spray to the ankle, spraying on top of the foot and on the ankle.

Then, apply a heel pad to the back of the foot, starting just behind the ankle , and a lace wrap on the front of the foot if desired.

Apply prewrap to the foot, starting just underneath the ball of the foot and wrapping upward until the ankle is covered.

Take the athletic tape and apply two anchor strips at the top-most part of the prewrap. This involves starting at the front of the leg and wrapping until the strips of tape overlap by 1 to 2 inches. Apply an additional strip halfway past where the first strip is located.

Create a stirrup piece by applying the tape against the top of one anchor strip, advancing it over the ankle, going over the heel, and ending at the same place on the opposite side of the leg. This should look like a stirrup.

Repeat and place an additional stirrup piece slightly more in the center of the top part of the foot, going around the ankle, and having the tape adhere to the anchor strip.

Place another anchor strip over the stirrup tape, wrapping about halfway from the start of the last anchor strip. This helps hold the stirrup piece in place. Continue wrapping in this fashion until you reach the top of the foot.

Wrap the heel using a figure-eight technique. Starting on the inner aspect of the arch, bring the tape across the foot, angling down toward the heel. Cross over the foot and ankle, continuing the figure-eight for two complete wraps.

How Long Should A Sprained Ankle Be Wrapped

Here is a general timeline for each option:

Athletic tape: 1-6 hours. Remove with tape scissors.
Kinesiology tape: 3-5 days. Remove slowly and carefully.
Compression wrap: Wear as needed.
Ankle brace: Wear as needed. Try to gradually decrease time-worn as possible to decrease dependence on it.
Replace compression wraps or ankle braces when they lose their stability and compression qualities.

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How To Wrap A Sprained Ankle

This article was co-authored by Joshua Grahlman, PT, DPT, FAFS. Dr. Joshua Grahlman, PT, DPT, FAFS, is the Founder and Chief Athlete Mechanic of Clutch PT + Performance, a private physical therapy clinic specializing in sports and orthopedics in New York City. With more than a decade of experience, Dr. Grahlman specializes in treating acute and chronic pain and injuries, sports performance optimization and post-operative rehabilitation. Dr. Grahlman earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He is one of just a few DPTs in New York City recognized as a Fellow in Applied Functional Science through the Gray Institute for Functional Transformation . He is certified in Active Release Technique and Spinal Manipulation and is a TRX Suspension Training Specialist. Dr. Grahlman has spent his career treating athletes of all levels, from Ironman Champions and Olympians to marathoner moms. He consults for Triathlete, Mens Health, My Fitness Pal and CBS News.There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 97% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 591,609 times.

Getting Ready To Wrap The Ankle

1Pick your bandage. For most people, the best choice of wrapping for a compression wrap is a cloth elastic bandage, sometimes colloquially known as an “ACE bandage,” after a common brand of elastic bandage.

Any brand of elastic bandage will work. However, wider bandages are usually easier to use.

Cloth elastic bandages are comfortable, since they’re made of stretchy cloth. This can help if your ankle starts swelling since the fabric will stretch.XExpert Source Catherine Cheung, DPMBoard Certified PodiatristExpert Interview. 21 April 2020. They are also reusable.

Some bandages come with metal clips for fastening the end of the wrap. If yours does not include metal clips, medical tape can also be used to secure the end of the bandage when the wrap is complete. You can also securely tuck the end of the bandage into the wrap.

2Prepare the bandage. If your elastic bandage is not already wrapped, roll the bandage into a tight coil.XResearch source

Compression wraps should fit against the foot and ankle snugly, so it helps to have the cloth wrap coiled tightly from the beginning, making it less likely that you will need to stretch and readjust the bandage as you go.

In either case, its crucial that coil face away from the foot, so that the coiled portion of the bandage is on the outside of the foot as you wrap it.

For example, if you think of the coiled bandage as a roll of toilet paper and the foot as a wall, the coiled bandage should be in an “under” orientation.XResearch source

How To Tape An Ankle Like An Athletic Trainer

This article was medically reviewed by Troy A. Miles, MD. Dr. Miles is an Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in Adult Joint Reconstruction in California. He received his MD from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2010, followed by a residency at the Oregon Health & Science University and fellowship at the University of California, Davis. He is a Diplomat of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and is a member of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Association, American Association of Orthopaedic Surgery, and the North Pacific Orthopaedic Society.There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 292,340 times.

Ankle injuries can take a while to heal, especially when they dont receive the proper treatment. Anyone is capable of sustaining such an injury, but athletes are more prone to experience one. To help an athlete recover from a minor ankle injury it is always a good idea to tape the ankle. Taping the ankle allows for extra support while still providing mobility.

Making A Compression Wrap

How to Apply an ACE Wrap to Your Ankle

1Start at the ball of the foot. Hold one end of the ace bandage against the ball of the foot, with the tail of the bandage extending past the outside of the foot, rather than the inside. Keep the tail rolled so that you can unroll it as you go, rather than dealing with an unwieldy long piece as you’re trying to wrap.XResearch source

For extra support, you can place a gauze pad on either side of the ankle before wrapping.

Horseshoe-shaped padding cut from foam or felt is also used for extra stability in compression wraps.

2Wrap the top of the foot. Use one hand to hold the end of the bandage against the ball of the foot. Bring the bandage over the foot, from outside to inside, then under the foot for a second wrap. Wrap the foot a total of three times, overlapping each wrap by half.XResearch source Board-certified podiatrist Catherine Cheung recommends “not wrapping your ankle too tightly. You don’t want to cut off any circulation or cause any more pain than what you’re dealing with already.”

Your body needs to swell in order to send nutrients and healing properties down to your ankle to stabilize it.XResearch sourceCatherine Cheung, DPM. Podiatrist. Personal interview. 12 May 2020.

Each loop of the wrap should be lined up evenly, rather than going in different directions. Start over if you need to do the job more neatly.

Ask the person how the wrap feels after you’re finished winding the bandage. If he or she complains that it’s too tight, start over.

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A Better Ankle Wrap Alternative

The method mentioned above is an effective way to wrap an ankle, but it’s only a temporary fix, and it has several limitations.

To begin with, wrapping a bandage around your ankle takes up quite a bit of time. You may have to make several attempts if youre not used to wrapping regularly. While a professional Physical Therapist or Doctor can wrap your ankle for you fairly quickly, It is not unusual for each self-attempt to take up to ten minutes or even more!

If not wrapped properly, the bandage can come off. So now you have to unwrap it and roll it up before youre ready to wrap it once again. This repetitive ankle wrapping process could mean that you stop trying to learn how to wrap your ankle properly and try walking on it too early.

With a typical bandage, you cannot combine heat or cold to provide comfortable relief for you injury. As well, the bandage may not be long enough to hold the ice pack to your injury while providing stable support.

If you give it some thought, youll soon realize that a conventional bandage wrap is inefficient and ineffective. So what works then?

Well, a purpose built ActiveWrap Ankle & Foot Pack serves the purpose perfectly. Its easy to use and provides complete coverage.

built in ice or heat packs that you can move over to the exact position that you desireyour