It is usually easier to have someone else tape your leg. This allows them to focus on taping and you can focus on keeping your ankle still.
Taping your foot protects it from moving too quickly and furthering any injuries.
Place one pad where the laces will go and the other on the heel. [2] X Research source
Starting near the ball of your foot, wrap around your foot in pre-wrap, working towards your ankle up until the mid calf. Try to cover up most of your skin to protect the tape so that it does not pull out hair when you need to remove it. The heel can remain uncovered. there is no hair to pull off and your skin is tough.
Place the first anchor strip on the top, then secure it with another piece of tape. [4] X Research source Make sure the tape is not too tight to constrict blood flow. Then repeat on the bottom The tape should feel firm, but also lose enough so that the ankle can still move from side to side. If you feel tingling or pins, remove tape and try again.
The tape should form a “U” shape around your foot You should feel the tape pull down on your inside ankle bone, and then up on the outside ankle bone.
Add one more anchor strip to keep them stable. [6] X Research source
This will create kind of a closed tape job. You will continue to wrap the tape in C strips to cover up any opening spots where you can see the pre-wrap.
This is the hardest part of the ankle taping process.
You want a limited range-of-motion in your ankle but still being able to move it around without any pain. You should be able to move up and down and to both sides, but it shouldn’t be able to move as far as you would before the tape.
Apply gauze or protective pads on the front and back of your ankle to prevent blisters. Wrap your foot and ankle with pre-wrap to protect your skin. Wrap 2-3 long pieces of tape from the inside of your ankle to the outside as U-shaped stirrup straps. Cover your ankle bone with tape from front to bottom, back to top.
