Any brand of elastic bandage will work. However, wider bandages (between one-and-half and three inches wide) are usually easier to use. Cloth elastic bandages are comfortable, since they’re made of stretchy cloth. This can help if your ankle starts swelling since the fabric will stretch. [4] X Expert Source Catherine Cheung, DPMBoard Certified Podiatrist Expert Interview. 21 April 2020. They are also reusable. (When you’re finished, you can wash it and use it again when you need it. ) Some bandages come with metal clips for fastening the end of the wrap. If yours does not include metal clips, medical tape can also be used to secure the end of the bandage when the wrap is complete. You can also securely tuck the end of the bandage into the wrap.
Compression wraps should fit against the foot and ankle snugly, so it helps to have the cloth wrap coiled tightly from the beginning, making it less likely that you will need to stretch and readjust the bandage as you go.
In either case, it’s crucial that coil face away from the foot, so that the coiled portion of the bandage is on the outside of the foot as you wrap it. For example, if you think of the coiled bandage as a roll of toilet paper and the foot as a wall, the coiled bandage should be in an “under” orientation. [7] X Research source
While athletic tape works to wrap an injured ankle, it is primarily made to wrap an uninjured joint before activity to avoid injury, not to protect an already injured ankle. Even though the thinner, sturdier athletic tape makes continued activity easier than the bulkier, more flexible cloth bandage, continued athletic activity on a sprained ankle is not advised. [9] X Research source
Underwrap is available at drugstores and sporting goods stores. It is possible to tape an ankle without underwrap, but it is much less comfortable.
If the ankle has a lot of hair, it can be shaved so that the tape doesn’t stick to it. If necessary, use a second piece of tape to make sure the underwrap is secure.
Repeat with two more pieces of tape overlapping the first one to create a sturdy stirrup.
Repeat the figure eight. Use another piece of tape to make a second figure eight that overlaps the first one. This will ensure that the wrap is held securely in place and provides enough support for the ankle to heal properly.
Start wrapping loosely, and overlap about 50% of the bandage on each pass. [10] X Expert Source Joshua Grahlman, PT, DPT, FAFSPhysical Therapist & Entrepreneur Expert Interview. 8 September 2020.
Make sure the layers are smooth and even with no unnecessary bulges or lumps. Start over if you need to do the job more neatly. By working from the furthest part of your ankle and moving upward, you’ll avoid creating a tourniquet effect where the bandage cuts off circulation to your foot. [11] X Expert Source Joshua Grahlman, PT, DPT, FAFSPhysical Therapist & Entrepreneur Expert Interview. 8 September 2020.
Continue making this “figure eight” around the ankle several times to fully stabilize the ankle.
Make sure not to wrap the bandage too tightly, or else it could cut off circulation. [12] X Expert Source Catherine Cheung, DPMBoard Certified Podiatrist Expert Interview. 21 April 2020. Use the metal fasteners or medical tape to secure the remaining bandage. Excess bandage can also be tucked under the last layer of bandage, provided there’s not too much excess. If you are wrapping a child’s ankle, there may be too much excess bandage, and it will have to be cut.
