I resorted to strapping after a ligament injury which stopped me orienteering for several months, and now I spend a fortune with Ultrasport each year stocking up on a few reels of the stuff! But how should we use tape to give us maximum support, and is it really support we need from it? Should we use the traditional figure of eight configuration, or is there a better way? I'm not a medic, so I found guidance in 'Sports Injuries - a self-help guide' written by Vivian Grisogono and published by John Murray. It cost £8.95 in 1984 (now you know when I 'did' my ligament), but I don't know whether it is still in print.
The book states that it's never a good idea to strap up an ankle in order to do activities which would otherwise cause pain, as the pain is a warning that the ankle is not ready yet. If you immobilise the joint completely, you interfere with the co-ordinated action from your lower back and hip downwards, and so risk damaging those joints also. The purpose of strapping is to provide a measure of support, to protect the ligaments, and to try to reinforce the natural message system which tells the joint to protect itself when it is placed under stress. Tape applied to the skin will trigger this protection system as the skin will hurt if the joint is stretched against the tape.
To protect the outer ligaments of the ankle, wind a 2-3 cm wide strip of tape from the inner side of the ankle, under the foot and up the outer side of the ankle, along the line of the fibula, extending about 10 cm above the ankle. Cover the first strip with 2 more, each slightly to one side of the first strip. Alternatively, to protect the inner ligament, start taping outside the ankle instead. The tape can be covered by a tubular bandage, but I find a long sock is sufficient.
John Ward (WASH)
(Reprinted from WASH Waffle)