Contact sports such as rugby, football and wrestling put immense strain on the body. Sometimes, even the best-conditioned athletes succumb to injury when their bodies are pushed to the limit. Joints and ligaments connecting different limbs are the worst hit because they have to stand up to all the pressure when someone is running, jumping, kicking, hitting and tackling. Therefore, you should consider strapping and taping your ligaments and muscles to minimise injuries or reduce the effects of their symptoms. The following discussion lays out common injuries and their relationship to taping and strapping:
- Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a common injury suffered by those who take part in contact sports. It occurs when an athlete stresses his or her plantar fascia, resulting in painful symptoms that can inhibit running, walking, jumping and other movements that depend on the feet. Taping your feet when suffering from plantar fasciitis minimises straining of the plantar fascia and consequently reduces the pain. The tapes unload some of the strain from the lower section of the feet, giving enough time to the plantar fascia to heal. If you have such an injury, you will notice an immediate improvement after taping and strapping. You must apply it repetitively for the symptoms to clear off.
- Ankle Sprains
Ankles connect the upper part of the leg to the feet. The ankle acts like a hinge connecting the foot bones to the fibula and tibia bones on the leg. The ankle allows your foot to rotate, move from side to side and move up and down. Essentially, ankle sprains are common because athletes are likely to put too much pressure on their ankle when lifting weights or side stepping. Taping and strapping can mitigate ankle sprains by strengthening the ligaments and helping them to absorb pressure from the upper body limbs. There are many ways of strapping ankles including heel locks, basket weave and stirrups. To make the most of tapes and straps on your ankle using these techniques, make sure that it is done by a professional who understands sports physio and the type of ligament that requires support.
- Shin Splits
Simply, shin splits refer to a sporting injury where an athlete experiences pain in the lower, front part of the leg. Taping and strapping directly to the skin holds the shin muscles in place and alienates pain. Preferably, use one-inch wide tape and wrap it over the shin starting with the inner side of the ankle then the front of the angle. Finish by taking it around the Achilles then extend it horizontally upwards to the front of the leg.
