Ayrton Oneill
Basketball is a fast-paced, high-impact sport that requires a lot of lateral movement, which can put a lot of pressure on your ankles. Taping your ankles can help prevent injuries and aid in recovery. It's important to know how to tape your ankles correctly to ensure they are supported and stable. This involves cleaning and inspecting the ankle, applying anchor strips, stirrup strips, heel locks, and finishing with more anchor strips. The type of tape and the way it is applied can vary depending on the athlete's preferences and injury history.
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What You'll Learn
- Prepare the area: clean and dry the ankle to ensure the tape sticks properly
- Use Zinc Oxide Tape: this provides ankle stability and pain relief
- Apply anchor strips: wrap tape around the lower leg and midfoot to hold other strips in place
- Create stirrups: bring tape from the inside of the leg, under the heel, and up the outside of the ankle
- Finish taping: apply more anchor strips to secure the stirrups
Prepare the area: clean and dry the ankle to ensure the tape sticks properly
Preparing the area before taping your ankle is essential to ensure that the tape sticks properly, provides the necessary support, and minimises skin irritation. Here is a step-by-step process to prepare the area:
Firstly, clean the ankle area thoroughly. You can use soap and water, and then dry the area completely. Alternatively, use an alcohol wipe for a quick clean. This removes any oils, sweat, or dirt that might prevent the tape from sticking properly. Before taping, always inspect the ankle for open wounds, blisters, or any skin conditions. If the athlete has sensitive skin or if you’re planning to tape regularly, consider applying pre-wrap to protect the skin.
Secondly, if you have a known allergy to Zinc Oxide, then you should opt for a different tape as most sports tapes use a Zinc Oxide glue. Our EAB glues, for example, do not contain any colophony or rosin, which are the usual irritants for anyone with an Elastoplast allergy. However, if you have an Elastoplast allergy, it is recommended to trial a small test patch before using EAB Tape as skin sensitivity may disagree with any kind of adhesive.
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Use Zinc Oxide Tape: this provides ankle stability and pain relief
When playing basketball, it is important to know how to strap your ankle properly to provide support and pain relief. Using Zinc Oxide tape is an effective way to do this due to its high adhesive qualities and tensile strength. The tape is rigid and able to support or immobilise the joint if applied correctly.
Firstly, fully wrap the ankle using underwrap, ensuring that it is applied tightly in a thin layer. Then, apply an anchor strip of Zinc Oxide tape around the mid-calf, aiming the tape slightly downwards to allow for muscle expansion during exercise. Repeat this process 1-2 more times to create a wider anchor.
Next, ensure the foot is in a neutral position and stirrup from medial to lateral, under the heel and across the calcaneus. Apply tension when coming to the lateral side by pulling the tape slightly, which will help to restrict medial rotation. It is recommended to use Zinc Oxide Tan for the weight-bearing joint, as it is made from rayon cloth, providing unrivalled tensile strength. It is three times stronger and more durable than Zinc Oxide White, which is made from organic cotton cloth.
Zinc Oxide tape is suitable for wearing for long periods of time and is water-resistant, making it ideal for sports. It is also skin-friendly and contours to the body well, making it perfect for strapping the ankle and providing stability and pain relief.
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Apply anchor strips: wrap tape around the lower leg and midfoot to hold other strips in place
When applying anchor strips to hold ankle tape in place, it's important to start with a clean and dry surface. Use soap and water or an alcohol wipe to remove any oils, sweat, or dirt that could prevent the tape from adhering properly. Check for open wounds, blisters, or skin conditions, and cover any wounds with a sterile dressing to prevent infection and irritation. If you have sensitive skin or an allergy to adhesives, consider shaving the area for better tape adherence and less painful removal.
To create an effective anchor for ankle taping, use a strip of tape and wrap it around the lower third of your shin, ensuring it's not too tight to maintain blood flow. This anchor strip should start from the inside of the ankle, go downwards, hugging the contour of your heel, and then back up to the opposite side of the anchor. This "U"-shaped application provides lateral and medial stability, preventing excessive side-to-side movement.
After creating the initial anchor, you can add stirrup pieces of tape that adhere to it. Place one stirrup piece slightly more towards the centre of the top of the foot, going around the ankle and attaching to the anchor strip. Then, place another anchor strip over the stirrup tape, wrapping halfway from the start of the previous anchor strip. This helps hold the stirrup piece securely in place.
Continue alternating between stirrup pieces and anchor strips, wrapping in a "`figure-eight`" or "figure-6" pattern until you reach the top of the foot. Finish by placing pieces of tape from the front of the lower leg, around the arch or heel, and to the other side. Ensure there are no open areas of skin and that the tape is not too tight, providing optimal support without restricting necessary ankle flexibility.
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Create stirrups: bring tape from the inside of the leg, under the heel, and up the outside of the ankle
Before creating stirrups, it's important to prepare the area to ensure the tape sticks properly and provides the necessary support. Start by cleaning the ankle area with soap and water or an alcohol wipe to remove any oils, sweat, or dirt. Dry the area completely. Inspect the ankle for any open wounds, blisters, or skin conditions.
Now, you can create the stirrups. The stirrup is a vertical "U" piece of tape that supports both sides of the ankle. To create stirrups, bring the tape from the inside of the leg, under the heel, and up the outside of the ankle. Pull the tape slightly taut when coming to the lateral side to help restrict medial rotation. This "-shaped application provides lateral and medial stability to the ankle, preventing excessive side-to-side movement.
Typically, 2-3 stirrups are applied, slightly overlapping in either direction, to ensure comprehensive support without restricting necessary ankle flexibility. You can also alternate between the inside and outside of the ankle, creating a "-figure" pattern. This pattern provides both vertical and horizontal support, reinforcing the stirrups' function and adding an extra layer of stability during movement.
After creating the stirrups, you can add locking straps and foam padding for additional security and protection.
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Finish taping: apply more anchor strips to secure the stirrups
When taping your ankle, the anchor strips are the foundation of your tape job. They hold the other strips in place and provide support. To finish taping, apply a few more anchor strips around the lower leg and midfoot to secure the stirrups.
Start by wrapping a strip of tape around the lower leg, just above the ankle bones (malleoli). Ensure that the tape is snug but not too tight, as this can cut off blood flow. Next, apply a second anchor strip around the midfoot, just below the arch. These anchors will provide additional support and help to hold the stirrups firmly in place.
The stirrup strips provide lateral support to the ankle. To create a stirrup, start on the inside of the leg at the anchor strip, and bring the tape down under the heel and up the outside of the ankle. Repeat this process two to three times, overlapping each stirrup slightly to ensure even support.
Finish the taping by applying a few more anchor strips to secure the stirrups. Smooth down all tape ends to prevent them from coming loose during activity. Check that the tape job feels supportive but not overly tight. If it is too tight, remove the tape and reapply it more loosely.
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Frequently asked questions
Basketball involves a lot of lateral movement, which can cause ankle sprains. Taping your ankle can help prevent this by strengthening and protecting your joints.
You will need sports tape, such as Zinc Oxide tape, and pre-wrap or underwrap to protect the skin.
First, clean and dry your ankle. Then, apply anchor strips around your lower leg, midfoot and mid-calf. Next, apply stirrup strips, starting on the inside of the leg, under the heel and up the outside of the ankle. Repeat this process 2-3 times. Finish with heel locks and check the tape job feels supportive but not overly tight.
Consult a professional ankle physio or foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeon.
