Kinesiology Taping for Ankle Stability

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Increasing Ankle Stability Kinesiology Taping

When it comes to kinesiology taping for ankle stability there is a specific method that produces the best results. Suppose you twist or sprain an ankle during an active sporting event or high energy lifestyle activity. Provided you have not broken any bones, KT Tape can help relieve the pain and swelling as well as promote fast healing in the location of the injury. In order to achieve these results, you will have to do a little bit of pre-taping prep work to ensure proper adhesion.

1 – Surface Prep

In order for KT Tape to give you the best performance possible, your skin needs to be in a specific condition. In other words, clean.

This does not just mean just-out-of-the-shower clean, either. KT Tape will not stay in position and may even peel off if your skin has oils or lotions on it.

The cleaner and drier the skin, the better the stick-ability of the tape.

2 – Time For A Trim

When you are looking at kinesiology taping for ankle stability, hairy legs are going to present a problem. Because KT Tape works best when attached to smooth, dry and clean skin it stands to reason that if you have a lot of hair on your legs chances are this will hamper the conditions required for good contact. The less hair, the better the tape will hold so if this means having to shave the area you intend to adhere KT Tape, then that is what you will have to do.

3 – Non-Sticking Issues

There is the possibility that although you have cleaned and dried your skin as well as shaved it that KT Tape just won’t stick. It’s not a big issue because there is an option available to you. It is called adhesive spray. There are various kinds available and what they do is create the conditions needed for tape to stick to skin.

Once KT Tape is applied remember that although you can get it wet in the shower, you will have to dry it with a towel only. This will give you anywhere from three days to close to a week with your tape application.

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	KT TAPE Original Cotton Elastic Kinesiology Therapeutic Tape - 20 Pre-Cut 10-Inch Strips	4.5 / 5 Stars From over 1270 Customer Reviews

The Technique For Kinesiology Taping For Ankle Stability

The way in which KT Tape works is that it lifts the tissue underneath the skin it is attached to from lower layers of tissue. This promotes better blood flow which leads to a reduction in pain and swelling as well as promotes healing. In order to tape an ankle for these results you will have to imagine that you will be first applying a strip of tape to act as an anchor.

This will be followed by the application of four or five shorter pieces of tap to act as fingers which will work together to lift skin and draw underlying swelling to the anchor area. The anchor strip will have to be applied just above the ankle with the finger strips crossing over from the ankle bone and stretching down to the foot.

This moves the swelling away from the injury site.

1 – The Stretch

Before you apply the first piece of KT Tape the ankle should be positioned in a stretch configuration.

As motion will be limited depending on the injury, if you cannot achieve a full stretch, whatever you can do will be enough. There are a couple of rules to follow in this instance: for inside ankle sprains move the foot outward and if the sprain is outside the ankle, move the foot inward. If you cannot move your foot at all, you will still be able to create a limited amount of stretch when you apply the KT Tape.

2 – After The Stretch

When you have achieved stretching your foot to assist with the KT Tape application, the next step is to actually apply the tape.

The first piece will be the anchor strip followed by the shorter finger pieces. The shorter ones must be spread out as evenly as possible over painful and swollen areas without adding additional stretch.

The finger pieces should cross overtop the anchor strip and will work effectively as the tape will perform best when it pulls on itself.

Final Thoughts on Kinesiology Taping for Ankle Stability

As discussed here, the proper conditions are required for best results. This includes clean, dry and smooth skin to apply KT Tape to. Also, the way in which this tape works is most effective when it can provide a lifting action to the tissue below the skin it is applied to so the direction and positioning of the tape is crucial.

Kinesiology tape produces results in aiding with healing many different kinds of minor injuries.

Should the injury you are trying to remedy be much more serious than a sprain, you should seek proper medical attention through a visit with a medical professional or clinic. If the injury is a sprain or other muscle injury, kinesiology taping for ankle stability will provide fast relief of pain and swelling as well as promote quicker healing to the injury location.