NSTP

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Chapter 11: Bandaging and
Taping Techniques

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• Routinely used by coaches, athletic trainers
and athletes for various reasons
– Provide compression to minimize swelling
– Injury prevention
– Provide additional support to an injured structure
• Application requires skill and should be left
up to an athletic trainer
• While bandaging and taping skills are not
difficult, trained individuals with advanced
experience should perform taping/bandaging

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• Taping supplies are often expensive and
may not fit institution’s budget
• Tape application can be time consuming
– May detract from coach’s pre-game/practice
preparation if forced to tape
• Tape vs. Bracing – effectiveness in
providing support and preventing injury
• Should never be used as a substitute for
rehabilitation
– Must work to correct deficiency/weakness and
use tape/brace as an adjunct

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Elastic Bandages
• Applied for a variety of purposes
– Compression of acute injuries – limit swelling
– Secure dressing or ice pack
– Provide support to injured soft tissue structure
• Gauze, cotton cloth, elastic wrapping
• Length and width vary and are used
according to body part and size
• Sizes ranges 2, 3, 4, 6 inch width and 6 or
10 yard lengths

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Elastic Bandage Application
• Hold bandage in preferred hand with loose
end extending from bottom of roll
• Back surface of loose end should lay on
skin surface
• Pressure and tension should be standardized
• Anchor is created by overlapping wrap
– Start anchor at smallest circumference of limb

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• Body part should be wrapped in position of
maximum contraction
• More turns with moderate tension vs. fewer
turns with maximum tension
• Each turn should overlap by half to prevent
separation
• Begin distally and move proximally
• Circulation should be monitored when
limbs are wrapped

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Elastic bandages can be used to provide
support for a variety scenarios:
• Ankle and foot spica
• Lower leg spiral
bandage (spica)
• Groin support
• Shoulder spica
• Elbow figure-eight
• Hand and wrist figure-
eight

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Ankle/Foot Spica

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Lower Leg Spica and Hip Spica

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Shoulder Spica

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Elbow Figure ‘8’

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Hand/Fingers Figure ‘8’

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Non-elastic White Tape
• Great adaptability due to:
– Uniform adhesive mass
– Adhering qualities
– Lightness
– Relative strength
• Help to hold dressings and provide support
and protection to injured areas
• Come in varied sizes (1”, 1 1/2” , 2”)
• When purchasing the following should be
considered:

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• Tape Grade
– Graded according to longitudinal and vertical
fibers per inch
– More costly (heavier) contains 85 horizontal
and 65 vertical fibers
• Adhesive Properties
– Should adhere regularly and maintain adhesion
with perspiration
– Contain few skin irritants
– Be easily removable without leaving adhesive
residue and removing superficial skin

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• Winding Tension
– Critically important
– If applied for protection tension must be even

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Elastic Adhesive Tape
• Used in combination with non-elastic tape
• Good for small, angular parts due to
elasticity.
• Comes in a variety of widths (1”, 2”, 3”, 4”)

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Storing Adhesive Tape
• Store in a cool place
• Stack so that the tape rests on its flat top or
bottom to avoid distortion of the roll

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Preparation for Taping
• Skin surface should be clean of oil,
perspiration and dirt
• Hair should be removed to prevent skin
irritation with tape removal
• Tape adherent is optional
• Foam and skin lubricant should be used to
minimize blisters

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• Tape directly to skin for maximum support
• Prewrap (roll of thin foam) can be used to
protect skin in cases where tape is used
daily
• Prewrap should only be applied one layer
thick when taping and should be anchored
proximally and distally

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• Proper taping technique
– Tape width used dependent on area
– Acute angles = narrower tape
• Tearing tape
– Various techniques can be used but should
always allow athletic trainer to hold on to roll
of tape
– Do not bend, twist or wrinkle tape
– Tearing should result in straight edge with no
loose strands
– Some tapes may require cutting agents

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Rules for Tape Application
• Tape in the position in which joint must be
stabilized
• Overlap the tape by half
• Avoid continuous taping
• Keep tape roll in hand whenever possible
• Smooth and mold tape as it is laid down on
skin
• Allow tape to follow contours of the skin

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Rules for Tape Application (cont.)
• Start taping with an anchor piece and finish
by applying a locking strip
• Where maximum support is desired, tape
directly to the skin
• Do not apply tape if skin is hot or cold from
treatments

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Removing Adhesive Tape
• Manual Removal
– Always pull tape in direct line with body (one
hand pulls tape while other hand presses skin in
opposite direction
• Use of scissors and cutters
– Be sure not to aggravate injured area with
cutting device
• Using “Tape Remover”
– Alcohol-based liquid useful for removing
adherent
– Works best when scrubbing with towel or cloth
– Wash tape remover off with soap and water

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• Waterproof tape
– Swimmer, diver, or waterpolo player might
require application of adhesive tape
– If waterproof tape is not available, duct tape
can be used as an effective substitute

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Common Taping Techniques

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Arch Taping

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Great Toe Taping

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Fractured
Toes

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Closed Basket Weave Ankle
Taping
• Used for newly
sprained ankles
• Also utilized for
chronically
weak ankles

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Achilles Tendon
(prevent Achilles over-stretching)

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Knee Taping
Collateral
Ligament

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Elbow
Restriction
(Prevents elbow
hyperextension)

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Wrist Taping
(Protects and stabilizes badly injured wrist)

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Sprained
Thumb
(Provide
support to
musculature and
joint)

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Finger and Thumb Checkreins