Studies show that nearly half of all sprains on the ankle happen during athletic activity. In fact, it is estimated that 60 to 90% of soccer injuries happen in the lower limbs especially the ankle—and it is understandably so.
From making sharp turns during dribbling attempts to locking your ankles to take a shot, or taking a sliding tackle, there are so many factors that can lead to an ankle injury in soccer.
Ankle injuries in soccer can be a minor sprain or more serious complication. For example, during a Premier League game between Tottenham and Everton, Heung-min Son of Tottenham accidentally clashed with Andre Gomes of Everton.
The Everton player fell to the ground with a serious ankle twist and had to be stretched out of the field. Son was shown a red card by the referee after the tackle but the did was done.
Interestingly, studies also show that ankle injuries occur more in males than in females. However, providing adequate ankle support can be the key to avoiding severe ankle injuries.
Likewise, players recovering from ankle injuries need to avoid any incident that can exacerbate their condition or delay their healing process.
Soccer players understand how negatively ankle injuries can impact their career which is why they are using different ankle taping techniques to provide support for their ankles.
If taping is not providing you with the ankle support that you need, it is because you are doing it the wrong way. Today, we are going to tell you the right way of taping your ankles to minimize sprain and twists during a soccer game.
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How to tape your own ankle for soccer?
Prior to the 1950s soccer players actually wore boots. Although they were heavy and limited the soccer player’s maximum potential, the boots had high tops that provided ankle support for the soccer players making it more difficult for them to sprain their ankles during a heated game.
However, from the 1950s onward, modern cleat makers like Adidas dominated the market with low-top soccer cleats. The new soccer cleats were accepted because they allowed the player to run better and allowed better movement with the ball.
As they say, nothing is perfect. Inasmuch as the new cleats improved performance, they also fall short when it comes to ankle support.
Soccer players are continuously looking for ways to make up for the shortfalls of the new low-top soccer cleats including using ankle weights and taping the ankle.
In fact, most professional teams invest a lot of money in taping their player’s ankles to ensure they stay fit and available for important games. There are two types of tape used for taping the ankle namely Kinesio tape and athletic tape.
Kinesio tapes are designed to be stretchy. They are perfect for use in situations like soccer where you still want your ankles to retain a good range of motion.
Because of their stretchy nature, it is possible to keep them longer on your ankles (up to 5 days) without running the risk of restricting circulation around your ankles. They are usually waterproof which makes it possible for you to shower while still having them on.
Athletic tape is usually less stretchy compared to Kinesio tape. When used wrongly, it will not only restrict motion but will also cut your blood circulation.
Athletic tape is best for soccer players recovering from an ankle injury because it will help to stabilize the injury and provide reasonable support for uninterrupted healing. You are advised not to wear the athletic tape for more than a day unless under the supervision of a physician.
Inasmuch as there are numerous ankle taping techniques, a few steps remain constant in all of them and you must pay attention to these steps. Below are some of the popular ankle taping techniques.
Last update on 2023-11-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Method 1: Figure 8 ankle wrap
As the name implies, in this method you will wrap the entire ankle all the way to the lower calf and halfway up the arch of the foot. This is one of the most common ways of taping the ankle and the steps are as follows;
- Place a heel lace pad on the instep and on the heels to help prevent blisters
- Apply the pre-wrap starting from midway of the arch of the foot and move upwards until to your lower calf. Using athletic tape directly on the skin may cause irritations which is why covering the area you want to tape with pre-wrap is a smart idea
- Run your athletic tape around the lower calf, just over the pre-wrap. You can do this twice to ensure better stability
- Starting from the inner part of the calf, place a tape vertically on the one you had put earlier on the calf and loop it over the heel, and tape it on the outside of the calf. It should look like a stirrup
- Wrap the tape around the stirrup you just created to keep it steady. When placing a tape down, make sure it covers at least half of the previous tape
- Perform the heel lock which is simply placing a tape at the top of the foot and passing it under the foot and across the heel in a figure 8 manner
- Do another figure 8 that comes from the arch of the foot and goes up to around the top of the ankle
- Close up the ankle by making another stirrup from the bottom of the foot to the lower calf.
- Wrap your tape around the end of the stirrup on the calf to keep it in place
Pros
- It properly locks your ankle preventing sprain
- Make sure not to fall off during movement
Con
- Takes a long learning curve to perfect
Method 2: Closed basketweave ankle taping
The closed basketweave ankle taping method is a little more advanced than the regular taping method. However, as we mentioned earlier, you will discover that a number of steps will remain the same and you will have to pay attention to them.
- Place your heel and lace pads at the heel and the top of the ankle
- Place your pre-wrap around the foot, starting from the arch of the foot and doing a figure 8 to cover all the way to the lower calf. Make sure there are no creases
- Place two anchor tapes, one at the calf around the top of the pre-wrap and the other at the foot to hold the pre-wrap in place
- Do your basic stirrup starting from the inside of the calf and looping it under the heel and ending on the outside of the calf
- Place the next tape horizontally across the arc of the foot starting from the anchor wrap on the foot and running through the back of the heel and ending on the other side of the foot. This is called horseshoe taping
- Repeat the stirrup and horseshoe taping making sure that you overlap the first tapes by half. You should start seeing the basket weave pattern coming up
- Close up the remaining space by doing a diagonal stirrup until the ankle area is totally closed.
Pro
- Gives room for the foot to expand
Con
- Requires more time and tape to complete
Method 3: Lateral ankle sprain support taping
Let’s assume you are just recovering from a lateral ankle sprain and have been given the thumbs up from your physio to participate. You will still need some form of support to keep your ankle steady and that is where this technique comes in.
This time, instead of the athletic tape, you are going to make use of the rigid strapping tape which usually allows lower flexing compared to the athletic tape—and there is usually no need for a pre-wrap.
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Last update on 2023-11-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Start with an anchor taping that goes around the lower calf. Tape it at an angle so that it aligns with the leg’s angle
- Making sure that the feet are at a neutral position, make your stirrup starting from the outside of the foot and going around the heel all the way to the inside calf and ending on your anchor tape
- Do a second stirrup overlapping the first by a half
- The next step is a figure 6. Placing the tape at an angle in the front of the lower calf, curve the tape through the ankle and under the heel then go straight up and end on your anchor. Repeat the same process in the opposite direction
- Do a figure 8 taping to lock the heels. Start your taping from your anchor similar to figure 6 taping but this time instead of going straight up on the other side of the leg, you will curl the tape around the Achilles heel and back to where you came from. Repeat in the opposite direction
- Lock in all the taping with a second anchor tape around the calf
Pro
- Better at restricting ankle movement
Con
- Can make playing soccer more difficult
Conclusion
After taping your feet, it is always important to look out for open spaces and close them up with tapes to prevent taping cuts. A good ankle taping should be neat with little or no creases.
Playing soccer with a taped ankle may take a short while to get used to but it is totally worth it in the end. This is because it makes it harder for you to stay away from the game due to ankle sprain as well as limit your chances of more serious ankle injuries.
For professional soccer players, taping the ankle is usually a mandatory routine before any game because of their contractual agreement. However, for amateur soccer players, it often comes down to choice—and we hope you will make the right choice by choosing to tape your ankle because of the long-term benefits.
There is a thin line between properly taping your ankle and overdoing it. Sadly, a lot of people that tape their ankles fall in the latter category.
It is either they are tapping their ankle such that it is too tight and uncomfortable or it is too loose and doesn’t provide the ankle support that they hope to get. Proper ankle taping will provide compression, support, and stability for the ankle joint which will help to prevent injury and reinjury.
Now you know that taping of ankles is not just a crazy trend started by soccer players. It is something you should be doing if you don’t want to spend more of your career time on the bench.
Hi there, I’m Jay.
Soccer is everything in my life! My friends and I have created this blog with all our enthusiasm, passion, and understanding after years of playing pro soccer. Hope you will enjoy it!