How to Tape a Foot

Whether you are a dancer, runner or simply walk or stand on your feet a lot, chances are you have experienced some form of foot pain. Foot injuries are attributed to a variety of sources, from incorrect shoes to incorrect running technique. If you suffer a foot injury, providing additional support is key to recovery. Taping your foot helps support the foot and alleviates pain during recovery. When wrapping your foot, it is important to use the correct technique to achieve the best results.

Things You'll Need

• Soap and water
• Towel
• 1-inch-wide sports tape
• Scissors
• 2-inch-wide sports tape

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Instructions

• 1

  Clean your foot with soap and water and dry with a towel. Starting directly behind your small toe, place the 1-inch tape on your foot with the nonadhesive side down. Stretch the tape around the outside of your foot, behind your Achilles heel and around your instep. Stop and cut the tape behind the joint of your big toe with your scissors. Use this strip of tape to measure and cut three additional strips of the 1-inch tape to the same length.

• 2

  Starting behind your small toe, take one of the strips and place it on your foot, adhesive side down. Smooth the tape in place and continue to take it around your foot just as you did when measuring. Stop directly behind your big toe joint. This is the base strip.

• 3

  Take the roll of 1-inch tape and place it at the sole of the foot behind the small toe. Lay the tape so that one end is even with the top of the base strip. Bring the tape across the sole diagonally so that the other end stops just behind the heel on the opposite side. Place this side so that it is even with the top of the base strip as well. Cut and smooth the tape in place.

• 4

  Use the 1-inch tape to perform the same action in Step 3 in the opposite direction. Start from behind the joint of the big toe and cross the tape over the sole to the opposite side of the heel. Cut and smooth the tape into place. Together the two pieces should now form an X. Cut and tape two more X bandages across the sole to make sure the foot is firmly supported.

• 5

  Take the 2-inch roll of tape and place it horizontally across your heel. Arrange the tape so that the ends are even with the top of the base strip on each side of your foot. Cut the tape and smooth it in place.

• 6

  Take the 2-inch tape roll and place it at the bottom of your foot so that it overlaps the heel strip. Measure, cut and tape another strip using the same method as the heel strip. Continue this overlapping method to travel up your foot, adding additional strips of 2-inch tape. Stop the final piece of tape directly behind the ball of the foot.

• 7

  Take the second piece of 1-inch tape you previously cut. Wrap this tape around your foot using the same method you used for the base strip. Take the third strip and wrap it identically.