5 Tips for Taping Your Ankle for Jiu Jitsu

As a jiu-jitsu practitioner, it’s crucial to master the art of taping your ankles to prevent injuries and enhance your performance. Ankle taping provides stability, support, and protection, reducing the risk of sprains and twists. Whether you’re a seasoned grappler or a beginner, understanding the proper techniques for ankle taping is essential to safeguarding your joints and maximizing your training experience.

Before embarking on the taping process, it’s imperative to gather the necessary materials. These include athletic tape, scissors, and a towel or sock. Clean and dry your ankles thoroughly to ensure optimal adhesion of the tape. Begin by wrapping the tape around the base of your toes, creating an anchor point. Continue wrapping upwards in a spiral motion, covering the ankles and extending slightly above the heel. Make sure the tape is taut but not too tight, as this can restrict blood flow. Overlap each layer by about half its width to provide additional support.

Once the spiral wrapping is complete, secure the tape by wrapping it horizontally around the ankles several times. This creates a “figure-eight” pattern that reinforces the stability of the joint. To finish, tuck the end of the tape underneath the previous layers to prevent it from unraveling. It’s essential to check the tightness of the tape periodically during training and adjust as needed. Proper ankle taping should provide support without hindering your range of motion, allowing you to perform techniques effectively while minimizing the risk of injury.

Assessing the Injury

Before taping an ankle, it is crucial to assess the severity of the injury to determine the appropriate taping technique.

Ankle Joint Anatomy

The ankle joint is a complex structure formed by the articulation of the talus bone with the distal tibia and fibula bones. These bones are held together by ligaments, tendons, and muscles that provide stability and support during movement.

Signs and Symptoms of Ankle Injury

• Pain, swelling, and bruising
• Tenderness to the touch or weight-bearing
• Stiffness or inability to move the ankle
• Weakness or instability
• Popping or snapping sensation

Types of Ankle Injuries

• Sprains: Overstretching or tearing of ligaments due to excessive inversion, eversion, or plantar flexion.
• Fractures: Breaks in the bones of the ankle.
• Dislocations: Displacement of the bones from their normal position.
• Tendonitis: Inflammation of the tendons that surround the ankle joint.
• Cartilage damage: Injuries to the cartilage that lines the ankle joint.

Assessing Severity

To assess the severity of an ankle injury, consider the following factors:

• Mechanism of injury: How the injury occurred can indicate the type of injury.
• Pain level: Severe pain may indicate a more serious injury.
• Swelling: Significant swelling may indicate a severe sprain or fracture.
• Instability: If the ankle feels unstable or wobbles, it may be a sign of a ligament tear.
• Range of motion: Limited range of motion may indicate a sprain or tendonitis.
• Tenderness to the touch: Specific areas of tenderness can indicate the location of the injury.

Caution

If the injury is severe, seek medical attention immediately. Any suspected fracture, dislocation, or tendon rupture should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.

Preparing the Tape and Ankle

Before taping, ensure you have clean and dry feet and ankles. Trim any excess toenails and remove jewelry. Choose suitable tape for jiu-jitsu, such as athletic or kinesiology tape, and cut off a length sufficient for your ankle.

Taping the Ankle

Step 1: Anchor

Place the tape’s first end directly below your ankle bone, wrapping it around securely. Overlap the tape slightly to create a strong anchor point. This provides a stable base for subsequent layers.

Step 2: Figure-of-Eight

Starting from the anchor, bring the tape diagonally across your foot, crossing over the instep. Wrap the tape around the ankle, bringing it back across the instep on the opposite side, creating a figure-of-eight pattern. Repeat this step several times, tightening the tape with each wrap while maintaining ankle mobility.

Step 3: Reinforcement

To reinforce the figure-of-eight pattern, add a vertical strip of tape along the back of your ankle, connecting the top and bottom anchors. This provides additional support and stability to the weakened ankle ligaments.

Step 4: Heel Lock

To prevent heel slippage during jiu-jitsu movements, create a heel lock by wrapping the tape around both sides of your heel, securing it in place. Ensure the tape is not too tight, as it could cut off circulation.

Step 5: Finishing

After taping the heel, cut off the excess tape and smooth down any loose edges. The tape should be snug but not constricting, providing support and protection without limiting ankle movement.

Creating the Base Wrap

The base wrap provides a stable foundation for the tape and helps to protect the ankle from rolling or twisting. To create the base wrap:

1. Unroll about 6 inches of tape from the roll and tear it off.
2. Place the centre of the tape on the inside of the ankle, just below the ankle bone.
3. Wrap the tape around the ankle, overlapping the edges by about half an inch.
4. Continue wrapping the tape around the ankle in a figure-eight pattern, making sure to keep the tension even.
5. After you have made 2-3 wraps around the ankle, start to bring the tape up the shin, wrapping it in a spiral pattern.
6. Continue wrapping the tape up the shin until you reach the knee.
7. Tear off the remaining tape and secure it by wrapping it around the knee.

Here is a more detailed explanation of step 3:

Step 3: Wrapping the Figure-Eight

As you wrap the tape around the ankle in a figure-eight pattern, be sure to keep the tension even and the edges of the tape overlapping by about half an inch. This will help to create a strong and secure base wrap.

Correct	Incorrect

Applying the Stirrup Straps

1. Start by placing the center of the tape over the top of your foot, just behind the toes.
2. Bring the ends of the tape up over the arch of your foot and cross them over each other.
3. Tuck the ends of the tape under the arch of your foot and pull them tight.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 with the remaining two straps. When you are finished, the tape should be in a figure-eight pattern around your foot and ankle.