How to Bandage an Elbow

The elbow is a common place to sustain an injury. A person can strain or sprain the elbow easily through sports, overuse or twisting it during normal daily activity. Whatever the injury, it's good to know how to bandage an elbow.

Things You'll Need

• Elastic bandage wrapping
• Binding clips or athletic tape
• Gauze (optional)

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Instructions

• 1

  Start with a wider elastic bandage, about 7 to 10 inches wide, and put the tail end of the bandage on the inside of the arm, either in the crook of the elbow or just below it. Slightly bend the injured elbow that you need to bandage.

• 2

  Wrap the bandage around the arm at least once to secure it. Check to make sure the bandage isn't too tight and cutting off the injured person's circulation.

• 3

  Move the elbow bandage in a diagonal pattern, upwards towards the bicep. Wrap the bandage around the arm. Cross the bandage over the last wrapping to provide support for the entire arm.

• 4

  Repeat the wrapping moving down the arm making a figure 8 pattern, with the bandage until you either reach the end of the bandage or you get to the bottom of the arm, just below where you started.

• 5

  Secure the wrapping with bandage clips, which are small metal clips with tiny claws sticking out that grab one end of the wrap and attach to the other part. You can also use athletic tape to secure the elbow bandage.