Taping Techniques

Bandaging

  • Bandage - piece of cloth used to cover a wound or hold another in place

    • Gauze - roll of bandage to hold dressing, padding to prevent blister or for sterile padding

    • Cotton cloth - use mostly for ankle wraps or for triangular bandages

  • Dressing - covering (supportive or protective) use for an injury or a wound

  • Elastic bandages

    • Can conform to body

    • Active bandages allow movement with little restriction

    • Compression bandages; prevents swelling and allows for support

    • Cohesive elastic bandage - constant and even pressure; adheres to itself

      • Sizing - 2inch (hands, fingers, toes, head); 3inch (extremities); 4 or 6inch (thigh, groin, trunk)

    • Application of bandages

      • Apply in uniform and firm fashion, but not too tight with equal pressure

      • Wrap body part with maximum muscle contraction to not hinder circulation; check for signs of compromised circulation

      • Overlap by at least half to prevent separation of bandage

      • Lock end of wrap and anchor edges

    • Techniques

      • Ankle and foot spice - 2inch or 3inch - start by metatarsal arch, wrap around heel and return back to start. wrap upward on foot/ankle

      • Spiral bandage - 3inch or 4inch - start at smallest circumference of limb and wrap upward against gravity

      • Groin support - 6inch - have athlete place weight on uninjured side and internally rotate injured side; starting at the upper thigh, wrap while pulling up and medially , cross hip

      • Shoulder spica - 4inch or 6inch - wrap around back of unaffected arm and cross over chest of the injured side

      • Elbow figure-eight bandage - 3inch - secures dressing in cubital fossa but can also be used to prevent full extension by wrapping with elbow flexed between 45-90 degrees

      • Gauze hand and wrist figure eight - half inch - palm through hand and around wrist

    • Cloth ankle wrap

      • 1.5-2inch; over sock; not very widely used

    • Triangular and Cravat bandages

      • First-aid

      • Cervical arm sling - supports forearm, wrist and hand; placed around neck and under bent arm that needs to be supported; one part of triangle over uninjured shoulder, one part of triangle under injured arm tired behind the neck and then tied behind injured elbow

      • Shoulder arm sling - forearm support; when injury to shoulder girdle; upper end of sling over injured shoulder, lower end of triangle over forearm and in between upper arm and body, bring it up to meet other end and tie together
         

  • Nonelastic and elastic adhesive

    • Tape usage

      • Injury care - support wound dressing, compression, support for injuries and stabilization of injury during rehab

      • Injury prevention - limits motion of body part

    • Nonelastic adhesive tape

      • 0.5inch, 1inch, 1.5inch and 2inch

      • Tape grade - number of longitudinal and vertical fibers per inch

        • Heavier = 85+ longitudinal fiber, 65 vertical fibers per square inch

        • Lighter = 65 or fewer longitudinal fibers, 45 vertical fibers per square inch

      • Adhesive mass - adhere when applied and maintain that adherence during sweating and activity; few skin irritants; ability to be removed easily and comfortably

      • Winding tension - even and constant unwinding tension

    • Elastic adhesive tape

      • Used in combination with nonelastic adhesive tape

        • 1, 2, 3, 4inch

      • Usually used for small and angular body parts such as feet and hands

    • Tape storage

      • Cool and dry space

Using Adhesive Tape in Sports

  • Preparation

    • Clean, dry skin

    • Tape adherent spray that is quick-drying - not required

    • Lubricate areas that might be prone to friction blisters (heel and lace pads, skin lube, etc)

    • Prewrap (1 layer)

  • Proper technique

    • Acute angles = narrower tape choice

    • Fingers/toes - 0.5-1inch; ankle 1.5inch; thigh/back 2-3inch

  • Tearing tape

    • Use preferred hand, middle finger hooked through center of tape and thumb pressing edge

    • Using other hand, grab loose end between thumb and index finger

    • Using both hands, pull tape so it is tight

      • Practice is important to figure out the best technique and what feels comfortable for you

  • Tape application

    • Stabilize joint

    • Muscle - allow for contraction and expansion

    • Overlap tape by half of the width of tape to prevent separation

    • Avoid continuous taping - which can cause constriction

    • Keep tape roll in hand to increase speed and accuracy

    • Smooth tape as it is laid down

    • Allow tape to go with natural contour of area being tapes to avoid wrinkles and gaps

    • Start with anchor

    • If extra support is needed, tape directly on skin

    • Do not apply tape if skin is hotter or colder than normal from treatment

  • Removing tape

    • Manual - pull back on tape and remove by pulling it with one hand and pressing it with the other hand

    • Scissors or tape cutter - cut on injured side

Common Taping Techniques

  • Arch

    • Pad Support - to strengthen weak arches

    • The X for Longitudinal Arch - taping of the longitudinal arch anchor on ball of foot

    • The X Teardrop Arch and Forefoot Support - to support longitudinal arch and stabilize forefoot

    • Fan Arch Support - support entire plantar aspect

    • LowDye Technique - manage fallen medial longitudinal arch, foot pronation, arch strains and/or plantar fasciitis

  • Sprained Great Toe - Half-figure-eight taping at great toe

  • Bunions - ¼ inch sponge rubber between great and 2nd toe

  • Turf Toe - Prevent hyperextension of metatarsophalangeal joint

  • Hammer/clawed Toes - Reduce pressure of the bent toes against shoe

  • Fractured Toes - Splint fractured toe with a nonfractured one

  • Ankle Taping - Anchors, stirrups, C-strips, arch strips, heels locks and figure-eights

  • Closed Basket Weave (Gibney technique) - Strong tape support used for newly sprained or chronically weak ankles. Can be used with horseshoe pad for focal compression and swelling control - anchor, stirrups, C-strips distally, heel locks for stability

  • Open Basket Weave - Freedom of movement in DF & PF with lateral and medial support

  • Achilles Tendon - Prevents Achilles tendon from overstretching; elastic tape

  • Medial Collateral Ligament - Knee flexed with heel lift; 3-inch elastic tape

  • Patellofemoral Taping (McConnell technique) - 4 components of patellar orientation

    • Glide - side-to-side movement of patella

    • Tilt - height of lateral patellar border relative to medial border

    • Rotation - deviation of the long axis of the patella from long axis of femur

    • Anteroposterior orientation - anterior/posterior relative to superior pole, inferior pole tiled

  • Elbow Restriction - Hyperextension

  • Wrist Taping - Mild strains or sprains

  • Wrist Taping #1 - Immobilization

  • Bruised Hand

  • Sprained Thumb