OOPS
TAPING

The following taping techniques are only the most common for injuries and pain in an area. If the taping doesn't help reduce pain on activity, you can make an appointment with OOPS.

CAUTION!! Before taping, place a small piece of tape on your skin for 1 minute, or less if you feel very itchy which is a sign of allergy. If your skin doesn't react after 1 minute you can fully tape the part as by the advice below.

Anytime you are wearing tape, and the skin feels itchy, remove the tape. 

With any taping that goes around the limb, If the fingers, hand, foot, toes below where you are taping become numb, remove tape and re-do the circumferential tape with less tension.

General tape wear advice: 
* If using fixomul (flexible under tape for rigid tape or alone), if the skin doesn't itch, you can leave on for 3 days. 
* If using flexible sport tape such as "Rock Tape" you can reuse the tape after allowing the skin to "aerate' for a period.
* If using a rigid sport tape, alone, remove it every evening and replace with new tape each day. 

THORACIC
With the person sitting tall and drawing shoulder blades backward. (Avoid drawing elbows back from side).
Apply fixomul or rigid tape from middle of top shoulder-neck muscle (upper trapezius), down across mid upper spine to just below the lower point of the shoulder blade.
Repeat from the other shoulder.
Then overlap by about 1/2, another piece of tape on each side.

THORACIC ASSESSMENT

SHOULDER
Sit with elbow resting on a table, or other support, about a hand span or 20 degrees away from the body.
Use whatever tape is handy (Fixomull or rigid sport-tape is best). Place one end of tape just in front of the middle of the upper arm. Pull the tape tightly over the shoulder to just past the top inner corner of the shoulder blade to the spine.
Applying to the outer arm, overlap by 1/2 with another piece of tape. Then overlap another piece of tape.
Use a piece of tape to anchor off each end.
Rigid tape must be removed each evening and reapplied in the morning.
You can leave fixomul on for three days. Take it off before 3 days if it becomes itchy. Leave tape off overnight and retape in the morning for another 3 days.
You can tape for up to 2 weeks. 

SHOULDER ASSESSMENT

ELBOW
Tennis Elbow is pain at the outer elbow and forearm muscle especially during strong grasping activities.
Tape with any tape firmly around the muscle below the pain area. Remove if cutting off circulation e.g hand numbness or darkening of skin. 

ELBOW ASSESSMENT

WRIST
With the person sitting at a table, hand palm down on a roll of cloth so wrist is little extended. 
Apply two overlapping strips of rigid tape from just below knuckles to 5cm up forearm. 
Then apply a figure eight spiral of tape over the hand and wrist as in the image. 

WRIST ASSESSMENT

FINGERS
With the injured finger and the next finger straight and together, tape both fingers together in an overlapping spiral. 

HAND ASSESSMENT

KNEE

There are a number of ligaments around and inside the knee, a floating kneecap bone (patella), and a patella tendon. There are also tendons at the back of the knee as part of the hamstring (back of thigh) and calf muscles .
It is important to use rigid tape to support ligament or tendon that has been injured.
To make anchors for the support tapes, place one strip of tape around the thigh about 10cm above the kneecap, and another strip below the hard bone of the top of the shin. 
If you use only rigid tape, it must be removed each evening and reapplied in the morning to care for the skin.
If you use fixomul tape underneath the rigid tape, you can leave the tape on for three days or take off earlier if the skin becomes itchy.
Leave tape off overnight and re-tape in the morning to maintain skin.
You can tape daily for up to 2 weeks.  Then review the KNEE ASSESSMENT and follow the instructions. 
Tape Co-Lateral Ligaments.
(Image for Medial Ligament).

Sit or ly on a table with knee resting over a pillow or roll. 
From the anchor tape, place a strip of tape from back side of thigh crossing over side of knee to front below knee.
Then another strip from front side of thigh cross side knee to back side (upper calf). Repeat this two or three times, overlapping the previous tape by half, to create a criss-cross pattern over the side of knee which will support the damaged ligament.

For a Lateral ligament tear do over the outside of the knee.


Tape Anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Apply an anchor strap above and below knee. With the knee a little bent, apply tapes centrally from below anchors, pulling up firmly around side of knee joint to back of upper anchor. Repeat two or three tapes overlapping to right and left sides of knee.
Tape for Patella tendon injury.

With knee straight, apply anchor tape below knee and on knee cap. Apply tape from below anchor, centrally, pulling firmly up centrally, then fanning out with each consecutive tape
Tape knee cap pain: Patella re-alignment.

Knee cap pain is often caused by malalignment of the patella due to weakness of the Vastus Medialis (VMO) muscle and/or tightness of the Iliotibial Band (ITB).

The resolution of patella pain therefore usually requires ITB stretching release and VMO (Quads) strengthening. 

While waiting for these exercises to improve the patella alignment, this strapping can support the alignments and reduce pain. 

This is complex taping best performed initially by a physiotherapist. 
Hamstring Tendon Taping

Get someone to apply the tape. 
With knee slightly bent in standing or lying on front. 
Place two anchor tapes in the upper bulk of the calf muscle and the mid bulk of the hamstring (thigh) muscle. 
Then apply two overlapping tapes to either side of the back of the leg between each anchor. 
This should apply moderate tension to the back of the knee when you are walking and prevent pain in injured tendon.
Gastroc (Calf) Tendon Taping

Get someone to apply the tape. 
With knee slightly bent in standing or lying on front. 
Place two anchor tapes in the middle bulk of the calf muscle and the lower bulk of the hamstring (thigh) muscle. 
Then apply two overlapping tapes to either side of the back of the leg between each anchor. 
This should apply moderate tension to the back of the knee when you are walking and prevent pain in injured tendon
Tape Sprained Ankle

This is for the most common lateral (outside) ligament sprain.
Place an anchor tape at the lower end of the bulk of the calf muscle around the leg.
Holding foot straight and square at the ankle, and beginning from just behind the ankle bones, apply a tape from the medial (inner) side and around the bottom of the heel and pull up strongly to the lateral (outside) ankle. 
Repeat additional tapes overlapping 50% until the area of tenderness is fully covered. 

Ankle Foot Assessment
Lumbar Tape

Get someone to apply the tape.
Standing tall, or if unable lie face down, use one or two pillows under stomache to make back comfortable.
Apply two tapes overlapping, from lower ribs to upper pelvis on both sides of the spine. 

Lumbar Assessment

Warnings

Injury First Aid 

Prevention Exercises