How to Ace an Ankle

Ace bandages are available at many pharmacies and medical supplies stores. The elastic bandages can be wrapped around an injured ankle. Ace bandages can be used for compressing an injury and keeping ice packs and other bandages in place. There are two methods to wrapping: spiral and spica. Regardless of the method you use, remember to tightly wrap the ankle for best results. However, the wrap should not be so tight as to cause loss of feeling.

Things You'll Need

• Stool
• Ace bandage
• Bandage clips

Show More

Instructions

Sprial Method

• 1

  Unwrap the Ace bandage a few inches.

• 2

  Ask the injured person to place his foot on a stool. Sit across from the foot so you will be close enough to wrap the ankle.

• 3

  Place the unrolled end of the wrap on the top of the person's foot. The wrap should fall right below the toes. You want to give them a little room to wiggle if possible. Place the end of the bandage on the opposite end of the direction you are going to wrap the foot. For example, if you are wrapping the foot clockwise, place the bandage on the left side of the top of the foot.

• 4

  Wrap the bandage around the foot two times.

• 5

  Wrap around a third time. However, you will want to move the bandage up a little as your wrap so you are covering the back of the heel, behind the ankle and then slightly above the ankle.

• 6

  Continue wrapping the bandage upward until you run out of bandage.

• 7

  Secure the bandage with bandage clips.

Spica Method

• 8

  Unravel the bandage a few inches. Ask the person to sit his foot comfortably on a stool, if possible.

• 9

  Place the end of the bandage on the top of the person's foot.

• 10

  Wrap the bandage two times around the foot like in the spiral method. However, as you bring the bandage back to the top do not move the bandage up like you would to spiral it up the foot and ankle. Instead, wrap the bandage around the back of the person's ankle just above his heel. Then, bring it back across the front and right over the heel, covering it completely.

• 11

  Adjust the bandage slightly up similar to the spiral, but wrap it around the back of the ankle. You will start to see inverted Vs forming on top of the foot from the way you wrap the bandage. This is the spica pattern.

• 12

  Secure the bandage with clips.