Wrapping a Sprained Ankle - Ask Doctor Jo

Most ankle sprains are on the lateral side or the outside of the ankle. When wrapping the ankle with a lateral sprain, you want to keep your foot in a neutral position and your foot turned out slightly (this would be 0 degrees of dorsiflexion and a slight eversion of the ankle). This helps take the pressure off the injured ligaments and tendons.

Start off with wrap rolling open from the top, this will make it easier to roll out. You also want to pull to the outside or lateral side each time to help support the ankle in the eversion direction. Wrap around the top of the ankle just below the belly of the calf muscle. This is your anchor. It should not be very tight higher up, and you want to have it slightly tighter towards the toes to help push the swelling back up the leg, but you don’t want to cut off the circulation either.

Once you have the anchor in place, start wrapping down towards the ankle. Now you are going to do a figure 8 pattern at the ankle by crossing down under the foot, and then back up around the ankle. Do this several times, slowly moving down the foot. Then wrap a few times down at the ball of the foot for another anchor, and then work your way back up with the same figure 8 pattern at the ankle. Make sure there is good circulation at the toes.

If you are wrapping your foot to help with swelling only, you will start at the toes, and put an anchor at the balls of your foot. This end will be slightly tighter, but not too tight to cut off the circulation. You will loosen it slightly as you go to help move the swelling out of the foot. With each wrap, cover the previous wrap by about half, and work your way up the ankle to just below the belly of the calf. Then come back down making an overlap like a figure 8.

Related Videos:

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Ankle Strengthening Exercises & Stretches:

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Doctor Jo is a licensed Physical Therapist and Doctor of Physical Therapy.

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Sprained Ankle - How to Wrap an Ankle Sprain:

DISCLAIMER: This video and any related comments are not medical advice. Doctor Jo is a licensed Physical Therapist and Doctor of Physical Therapy; however, she is not YOUR Physical Therapist and can't possibly diagnose you through the Internet. So don't use this information to avoid going to your own healthcare professional or to replace the advice they have given you. This information should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any medical condition. If you are not properly diagnosed, this information won't help, and it could make things worse. If you experience any pain, stop immediately and see your healthcare professional.

[AskDoctorJo]

Don't forget to hit the 🔴 *SUBSCRIBE* 🔴 button above! *Find all of my videos at **youtube.com/askdoctorjo*

[komodotear]

I’ve seen at least five different videos so far and none of the therapists have shown how to do it by yourself. THANK YOU!! This video helped 100%

[martinmarino]

8 years later this video just saved me a lot of uncomfortable pain THANKS DOC !

[jessie_kay]

Thank you for sharing this, it really helped relieve a lot of my pain. I had to rewrap it because the nurse wrapped it and my circulation was cut off along with swelling ( which hurt immensely.) But this helped a lot, thanks doc joe, you’re a real mvp.

[jen]

OMG! This is perfect! I'm the assistant varsity soccer coach and our high school doesn't have a trainer. That role has fallen to me. It would be AMAZING if you could do videos on basic sideline first aid/injury care. I'm a HS English teacher and I love the way you teach.

[aziris]

Thanks a lot. I just had a sprain on my ankle. My first time wrapping it, my pain was excruciating even at rest. But after copying how you do it, surprisingly i can walk around fine enough now. The pain is still there, but it's lessened. Thanks again for sharing.

[jjayyy]

Thanks, this feels so much better than the way the ER nurse taught me!

[Prometheusow]

Wow! Yesterday I was walking down a mountain in Korea, completely went through my ankle, wasn’t all too sure how I was supposed to wrap it.

But after carefully following this video I can immediately feel relief, and why whole foot feels stable now too!

Thank you!

[nimish]

Hello Doc Jo! Wanted to send a note of thanks, your videos have really helped me get better. Huge gratitude from India!

[sahleesummersnow]

Thanks! I sprained my ankle yesterday and i watched your video to wrap my ankle.

[Zyron_x]

Thanks doc Jo your a real help no bs thanks a lot really genuinely appreciated your kindness and patience to explain and help us ❤

[TheInsecureChef]

Thank you Doctor Jo. I suffer from various cramps ans spasms due to a very serious disease and hopefully this wrap will minimize the pain. Regardless, thank you for a very clear and understandable presentation.

[kytocult]

thank you so much i sprained my ankle and i was in so much pain but this helped a lot!❤️

[Lakhshamana]

Well, first time I've wrapped my ankle today. Got ankle pain since two days ago for whatever reason (my body does that on occasion, but it's usually on the base of my neck), let's see how this will go! Thanks for the tutorial!

[Mrs]

Hey thanks so much I watched your palsy video when my bfs face was going through that and now he sprained his ankle. The excercises on his face really worked thanks so much so I know this will too!!

[Joey-zlte]

Great video. So simple, quick, and informative. Thanks!

[jasna]

hey thanks a lot. I just sprained my ankle and did the bandage myself but it started hurting really badly. so I just searched and found your video. did like u said and it's sook
comfortable. may Allah bless you!

[sampark]

i sprained my foot yesterday pretty bad while jumping off my foot in pole vault. cant really feel my foot at all. this helped me be able to walk. thanks

[wencycunanan]

my first time doing this, thanks doc ♥️

[xxflaxxdread]

This video is gold, i used the second technique to reduce swelling and the pain is so much more bearable. The problem i had was whenever i needed to get up and use the restroom all the blood and fluid would rush to the ankle. I don't wish that pain on no one lol.