taping ankles

[temporarily_locked]

So my ankles are pretty bad. I shattered my left foot and the dorsiflexion (toe to shin) range of motion is poor. I've been tearing up my ankle because i reach the end of the range of motion and start straining tissue. Besides switching back too a non hinged boot (going back to tech 8's after a while on sg10's), I'd also like to start taping. I've been wearing lace up ankle braces in my boots and they haven't been enough. I've done a little research, but have found anything beyond just basic taping which everyone seems to do very similarly?

[DirtRider500R]

I'm following the shizz out of this topic. How did you manage to fit a lace ankle-brace into your boot? I may have to do that/ try taping.

[Muaythaicameron]

I've got an awful ankle from years of kickboxing. My lace up brace works wonderfully. I have seen some that aren't as good. Maybe try some new ones? Also, maybe hinged boots aren't your solution since they allow extra movement from toe to shin possibly straining your limited ROM

[Blutarsky]

Here is a post on Vital describing how to do a variant on the heel lock to resist hyper dorsiflexion.

 

http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/Ankle-Support,1270734

 

Braces and boot choice will do NOTHING to resist hyper dorsi-flexion.  You have to learn to tape in a special way..and be creative.  Think biomechanically.  You are trying to compliment your achilles so that when you hyper dorsiflex your ankle...the tape is put in tension.  You have to reduce your range of motion so the tape is loaded up before your tissue starts tearing.  It is not that hard...but not many athletic training vids or instructions will show you how to do this.

 

Buy tape a crate at a time...and practice.  Also...NO underwrap.  Tape direct to skin.  It is the only way to really get support.  Will it hurt? Yes.  Will you bleed?  Probably...but you are an MXer...you hurt and bleed anyway. 

Edited June 13, 2014 by Blutarsky

[temporarily_locked]

Ok I see what you did, restrict from the heel. and danm it's going to be like waxing my legs.

[Blutarsky]

Ok I see what you did, restrict from the heel. and danm it's going to be like waxing my legs.

 

When doing the taping to restrict HD...dont hold your foot 90 degrees to your leg like you would when taping for inversion / eversion.  Open your footup (point toes down / away) about 20 degrees.  That way, when you flex..the tape will tighten even more.  Also...the tape will stretch some...so you want to anticipate that.  It will take you some time to learn how to do it...but it makes a HUGE difference.  Also...you have to do a 360 wrap around to lock the tape end.  You will also need to get some good ahtletic tape cutting scissors.  The biggest nightmare is cutting the tape off...when it is direct to the skin. 

Edited June 14, 2014 by Blutarsky

[j368]

So my ankles are pretty bad. I shattered my left foot and the dorsiflexion (toe to shin) range of motion is poor. I've been tearing up my ankle because i reach the end of the range of motion and start straining tissue. Besides switching back too a non hinged boot (going back to tech 8's after a while on sg10's), I'd also like to start taping. I've been wearing lace up ankle braces in my boots and they haven't been enough. I've done a little research, but have found anything beyond just basic taping which everyone seems to do very similarly?

Maybe this will help you.

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nismat.org%2Ftraincor%2Fankle_tape.html

[temporarily_locked]

When doing the taping to restrict HD...dont hold your foot 90 degrees to your leg like you would when taping for inversion / eversion.  Open your footup (point toes down / away) about 20 degrees.  That way, when you flex..the tape will tighten even more.  Also...the tape will stretch some...so you want to anticipate that.  It will take you some time to learn how to do it...but it makes a HUGE difference.  Also...you have to do a 360 wrap around to lock the tape end.  You will also need to get some good ahtletic tape cutting scissors.  The biggest nightmare is cutting the tape off...when it is direct to the skin. 

I noticed that in the other pictures. Start wrapping in plantar flexion so it's already in tension when you bring your ankle to neutral. 

[aluminumgiraffe]

The "basic ankle" taping wont do much to resist your problem of hyper-dorsiflexion. That taping is primarily designed to resist inversion "turning in" of the foot. Your best bet would be to put your foot into slight plantarflexion, toes pointing down, and put a checkrein piece, basically just a few strips of athletic tape layered over each other, running from the posterior leg to the bottom of your foot, then put a basic ankle taping over that checkrein strip. The idea behind this being to emulate an elbow or wrist hyperextension taping. Sometimes as an athletic training student you need to get creative? .  This essentially acts as a secondary achilles tendon and will help to resist that hyper-dorsiflexion you're dealing with. Like Blutarsky said any athletic training videos will help you out greatly. Also I think it was already said but regular athletic tape stretches a pretty good deal when it's introduced to moisture aka sweat so be ready to tape up a few times when you're at the track for a day  ?