Taping a sprained wrist provides immediate, temporary stability for mild injuries. This technique offers external support to the affected joint, aiding initial recovery.
Purpose of Taping
Taping a sprained wrist offers external support to injured ligaments. This limits excessive or painful movements, reducing strain on healing tissues. Compression from the tape can also reduce swelling and discomfort. By restricting unwanted movement, taping enhances proprioception, the body’s sense of its position in space. This combination of support and sensory feedback can facilitate an earlier return to light activity and help prevent further injury.
Gathering Your Supplies
You will need non-elastic, rigid athletic tape (e.g., 38mm/1.5 inches wide). Pre-wrap, a thin foam material, is important to apply directly to the skin before the athletic tape. This creates a protective barrier, reducing skin irritation and making tape removal less painful. A pair of sharp scissors is needed for cutting the tape cleanly. An adhesive spray can be used on the skin before applying the pre-wrap to improve tape adhesion and protect the skin.
Taping Your Sprained Wrist
Ensure the wrist and forearm are clean and dry, free from lotions or oils, for optimal tape adhesion. If desired, apply an adhesive spray, followed by a single layer of pre-wrap, overlapping by about half, to cover the area. Position the wrist in a neutral or slightly extended position, as this is typically the most stable and comfortable for a sprain.
Create anchor strips with the athletic tape. Apply one strip around the palm, just below the fingers, and another around the forearm, just above the wrist. These anchor points provide a foundation for the support strips. Apply these gently, without excessive tension, to avoid restricting circulation.
Apply support strips to create an “X” or fan shape across the wrist joint. Start by placing a strip on the inside of the wrist, guiding it up between the thumb and index finger, then back down to the outside, forming one half of an “X”. Repeat with another strip from the opposite side, crossing the first to complete the “X” pattern. Apply three to five such “X” shaped strips, each overlapping the previous one by about half, for comprehensive support.
Secure the support strips by applying additional anchor strips over the initial ones, around both the palm and the forearm. These final anchor strips lock the support strips in place, preventing unraveling. Ensure the tape is snug enough for stability but not so tight that it causes discomfort or restricts blood flow. Smooth all tape edges down firmly to enhance adhesion and minimize lifting.
Key Considerations and Warnings
Monitor for signs that the tape may be too tight. Indicators of excessive tightness include:
Numbness
Tingling
Cold sensation in the fingers
Discoloration (blueness or purple hues)
Increased swelling
Puckered skin above the tape
If any of these symptoms occur, remove the tape immediately and reapply with less tension.
The tape can generally be left on for 24 to 36 hours, or up to 3 days, depending on comfort and activity levels. Remove the tape if it becomes wet, loses adhesion, or causes skin irritation. When removing, do so slowly and gently to avoid skin damage, ideally pulling it back on itself with pressure applied close to the skin.
Taping is suitable only for mild wrist sprains, where ligaments are stretched but not torn. Seek professional medical attention if you experience severe pain, significant swelling, visible deformity, an inability to move the wrist, or persistent numbness and tingling. These symptoms may indicate a more serious injury, such as a fracture or severe ligament tear, requiring a medical diagnosis and different treatment.