For extra support, you can place a gauze pad on either side of the ankle before wrapping. Horseshoe-shaped padding cut from foam or felt is also used for extra stability in compression wraps.
Your body needs to swell in order to send nutrients and healing properties down to your ankle to stabilize it. [3] X Research source Catherine Cheung, DPM. Podiatrist. Personal interview. 12 May 2020. Each loop of the wrap should be lined up evenly, rather than going in different directions. Start over if you need to do the job more neatly.
Smaller feet and legs may not require three full figure 8s with a full-sized ace bandage. Use your judgement to decide whether the wrap looks stable after 2 figure 8s. Ask the person how the wrap feels after you’re finished winding the bandage. If he or she complains that it’s too tight, start over.
Remove the bandage if the toes on the foot turn white or feel numb or tingly. The bandage may be worn for a number of hours and during physical activities, or as recommended by the doctor. It should be removed twice a day to allow the blood in the foot to circulate freely.
Don’t wind the tape too tightly. It should be secure, but comfortable. You may want to use more than one piece of tape for the anchor to make sure it stays in place.
Make sure the tape wrapping is comfortable for the person wearing it. If it pulls at the skin or hair, you may need to start over. The tape wrap may be worn all day and during physical activity. It should be changed when it becomes dirty. Remove the wrap if the toes turn white or a numb or tingly sensation is felt.
Ace bandages are used to make compression wraps. They are made from stretchy fabric that many find to be comfortable against the skin. They are secured with metal fasteners, or you can buy adhesive wraps that use velcro or glue to keep the wrap in place. Ace bandages are conveniently reusable, so they’re a good choice for people who need to wrap frequently. Athletes may find ace bandages to be cumbersome when worn during physical activity. They create a bulky padding around the ankle that can make it more difficult to run and jump. A wrap constructed from tape includes a bottom layer of underwrap, which protects the skin from getting pulled too much by the tape, and a layer of tape that is adhered to the underwrap in a pattern that supports the ankle. Tape is not reusable, so it can get expensive for people who need to wrap every time they perform a physical activity. The underwrap protects the skin somewhat, but a little pulling usually takes place. Tape feels lighter on the body, so many athletes prefer it to using an ace bandage when the wrap is intended to support the ankle during physical activity.
