How to Wrap the Heel for Pain

Heel pain---or heel spur syndrome--is usually caused by plantar fasciitis, a condition that can be severe enough to cause limping and difficulties walking, especially first thing in the morning. At other times, the pain may only present itself during exercise or after long periods standing on your feet. Your discomfort may present itself as a bruised feeling, dull ache, deep throbbing or a sharp dagger of a pain. Wrapping your heel will help alleviate pressure on the plantar fascia and support your foot in a manner that can promote healing.

Things You'll Need

• 1-inch sports tape
• 2-inch sports tape
• Spray tape adherent
• Scissors

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Instructions

• 1

  Cover the sides and bottom of your foot with the spray tape adherent. Begin taping by taking the one inch sports tape and attaching it vertically to the side of the fifth (pinkie) toe joint. Bring the tape around the heel towards the big toe joint.

• 2

  Push down on the big toe when attaching the tape in order to force the arch into a higher position. Attach to the big toe joint and remove excess tape roll with scissors.

• 3

  Repeat steps one and two twice more with the one-inch tape, cutting it off each time after a single wrap. Be sure the big toe is pushed down in order to maintain the high arch---this helps to relieve pressure on the heel.

• 4

  Take a piece of the two-inch tape and position it on the outside arch of the foot, just above the heel, lining it up with the other tape as a starting point. Bring the tape under the foot and around to the inside arch. Be sure to continue to press down on the big toe while wrapping it on the inside arch. Cut off excess tape.

• 5

  Wrap a second piece of two-inch sports tape in the same manner, only just slightly above the first two-inch piece, approximately 1/2 inch above the first, so it overlaps. Repeat this again two more times until the tape reaches the top of the very bottom of the big toe joint. This is just below the top ball of the foot.

• 6

  Apply a one-inch locking strap from the pinkie toe back around to the big toe, as in step one. Cut off excess.

• 7

  Apply a two-inch locking strap, beginning at the one-inch tape line on the inner side of the mid-arch and bring it over the top of the foot around to the outer side until you reach the one inch tape line. Cut off excess tape and press all taped areas securely into place.