The ankle sees a lot of action on the run. With each step, it absorbs the shock of your landing, while then helping you create force and forward propulsion on the push-off. You need this joint to flex and extend with ease in order to make the most of each step of your stride. That’s why an ankle injury can feel especially defeating, placing you on the sideline to avoid pain.
One super common ankle injury: sprains, which send more than two million people to the emergency room each year, according to research. The good news, though, is that ankle sprains—which are acute injuries that occur when the ligaments of the foot and ankle stretch or pull beyond their strength—occur more often in athletes involved in multidirectional sports, like basketball and soccer. Running, on the other hand, is primarily a linear sport, Samuel Chan, P.T., D.P.T., C.S.C.S., physical therapist and head athletic trainer at Bespoke Treatments in New York City tells Runner’s World. `
Still, if you have ever stepped off a curb the wrong way or landed poorly while tackling gnarly terrain on your trail run, Sales & Deals.
One good way to avoid recurring ankle sprains is to tape your ankles. If you’re thinking about taping up to avoid injury, here’s everything you need to know, including how to wrap an ankle and whether doing so is right for you.
Should you wrap your ankle?
Shoes & Gear clocking miles, your first plan of action should include a visit to your doctor. They’ll get to the root of the problem so you can feel better faster and return to running without hurting yourself more. They can also teach you how to properly wrap an ankle.
“I do not encourage runners to wrap their ankles unless they have an acute, or relatively recent, ankle sprain where they currently are experiencing pain, even while walking,” Chan says.
For trail runners or other mile chasers who train on uneven surfaces and suffer from chronic ankle sprains, Chan says wrapping your ankle(s) can be helpful. But if that’s not you, it’s not necessary. And in some cases, relying too much on a wrap can keep you from building the stability and strength you need to withstand miles.
“I recommend not relying on wraps if you do not have an acute injury,” Chan emphasizes. “Some individuals do find comfort and a sense of safety and stability by wearing ankle wraps during activities, but the goal should always be to wean yourself off such devices as you recover from ankle sprains.”
What are the benefits of wrapping your ankle?
“Ankle wraps serve to limit inversion and eversion (side to side motion of the ankle), which is why they are an effective tool in limiting the risk of sprains,” Chan explains. “They also provide a small amount of compression, which can help to reduce pain and active swelling.”
This is why an ankle wrap is particularly helpful for those with an acute injury, or those who consistently participant in side-to-side activity that puts them at risk for a sprain or re-injury.
What should you know before wrapping your ankle?
It is okay to run with a wrapped ankle, as long as you don’t experience pain, the tape is applied correctly, and it’s not too tight or causing you other discomfort, Chan says. “There’s a fine line between a well-taped ankle and one that’s too tight. If it feels too tight, it probably is,” he adds.
Also, if you’re going for wrap you can slip on (rather than a tape job), neoprene is a good go-to material as it’s comfortable and breathable, though a tape job will provide more stability through the joint than a pre-made wrap, Chan says.
Finally, Chan notes that it’s pretty difficult to tape your own ankle, which is why it’s best to have a professional do it for you. But if you need to do it on your own or want to practice after your doc has shown you the way, Chan demonstrates a full play-by-play demonstration in the video above. The most important thing to remember: Start with your foot in a dorsiflexed position, which means you pull the toes up toward the shin. “This is a position of stability for the joint,” he says.
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- Apply adhesive tape spray
- Check that the tape isnt too tight and still allows for movement.
- Wrap the pre-tape around the ankle, heel, and foot, adding another foam pad to the front of the ankle as you go.
- Next, add anchors to the top of the pre-tape and the bottom, crossing the tape at the front of the shin and foot like a basket weave.
- Add stirrups by wrapping the tape in a U shape, from the inside of the ankle to the outside, along the bottom of the foot.
- How to Measure Your Feet: A Guide for Runners.
- Add another stirrup, slightly in front of the last.
- Continue to add more pieces of tape, working down the shin, ankle, and foot in the basket weave shape.
- Treatments for Plantar Fasciitis.
- Add tape in a figure eight motion, wrapping around the inside of the ankle, around the heel, across the foot, and back up in front.
- Repeat the figure eight in the opposite direction.
- you need to withstand miles.
- Check that the tape isn’t too tight and still allows for movement.
Mallory Creveling, an ACE-certified personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach, joined the Runner's World and Bicycling team in August 2021. She has more than a decade of experience covering fitness, health, and nutrition. As a freelance writer, her work appeared in Women's Health, Self, Men's Journal, Reader's Digest, and more. She has also held staff editorial positions at Family Circle and Shape magazines, as well as DailyBurn.com. A former New Yorker/Brooklynite, she's now based in Easton, PA.
