Preparing for Sports with Athletic Tape

In any trainer’s kit bag, there is going to be plenty of athletic tape to serve their athletes. Common in most every sport, the use of athletic tape for support and stability is a great way for athletes to be able to play their hardest and still reduce the risk of injury, even without a trainer.

Ankles First

One of the most common uses for athletic tape is to support the ankles. Using a careful procedure (that can be quickly learned), a coach or trainer wraps the athlete’s ankles to prevent too much strain on this crucial pivot point. Some adhesive spray is used to make the tape stick, and typically a pre-wrap is used to help protect the skin from irritation. The ankle is then taped in a very precise manner (starts like a stirrup, ends like a cast), weaving the athletic tape in alternating layers to improve the stability offered.

Taping an ankle is common in football, hockey, basketball, baseball, and many more sports. It is safe to say that if a sport requires an athlete to put pressure on their ankles, chances are good there are going to be more than a few taped-up on any playing field.

Novices Welcome

Taping an ankle is not something that only happens on a professional field of play, nor is this the only use for athletic tape. Many individuals take advantage of athletic tape to cover a blister so they can continue training. It’s also not uncommon for athletic tape to be used to support or reinforce muscles and joints that tend to grow tired from a good workout or healthy run.

If you are finding that athletic tape helps your performance from time to time, it pays to take a quick online tutorial on how to best wrap your tender areas. Take advantage of using pre-wraps, to protect your skin from irritation. Schools, medical colleges and more have all released videos on how to properly apply athletic tape, so even if it is your first time trying it, you don’t have to approach it blindly.

Take the time to study some of the basic techniques in using athletic tape correctly, and you may not be a novice athlete for long!