Wrapping a Sprained Ankle - Ask Doctor Jo

Summary

In this video, Doctor Jo demonstrates how to properly wrap a sprained or swollen ankle. She explains that for a lateral ankle sprain, the foot should be positioned in a neutral 90-degree angle, slightly outward to relieve pressure from the injured ligaments. She shows how to apply a wrap smoothly, ensuring proper tension without cutting off circulation. Doctor Jo also discusses a different wrapping technique for reducing general swelling, emphasizing a firm but not overly tight wrap. Throughout, she provides helpful tips to ensure comfort and safety. Viewers are encouraged to like, subscribe, and ask questions.

Takeaways

• 🦶 Keep the foot in a neutral 90-degree position with the ankle slightly outward for sprained ankles.
• 🌀 Always roll the bandage outward to ensure smooth wrapping and avoid twisting your fingers.
• 🔄 Start wrapping with an anchor at the top of the ankle and pull the foot outward to relieve pressure on the ligaments.
• 💪 Apply light pressure as you wrap downwards, but avoid cutting off circulation, especially around the toes.
• 👣 Keep the heel mostly uncovered if you're planning to wear a shoe afterward for comfort.
• 🎯 For swelling, focus on neutral foot positioning without the need to pull the foot outward.
• 📏 Ensure firm wrapping near the toes, but always leave enough room to slide a finger under the wrap to avoid cutting off blood flow.
• 🧶 Wrap halfway over each previous layer and use less pressure as you move upward to help with swelling reduction.
• 🔀 Use a figure-8 wrapping method when wrapping for swelling, crossing over previous wraps for better support.
• 🩹 Sports tape can be a better alternative to the provided fasteners for a more secure and comfortable hold.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of wrapping a sprained or swollen ankle?

The primary purpose is to support the injured ankle, reduce swelling, and prevent further injury by keeping the ankle in a neutral position, which helps with healing.

Why is it important to keep the foot in a neutral position while wrapping the ankle?

Keeping the foot in a neutral position, especially at a 90-degree angle, helps reduce strain on the ligaments and promotes proper healing by preventing the ankle from moving into painful or vulnerable positions.

How should the wrap be positioned for a lateral ankle sprain?

For a lateral ankle sprain, the wrap should be positioned to pull the foot slightly outward, which helps relieve pressure on the injured ligaments located on the outer side of the ankle.

What technique should be used when rolling out the wrap?

The wrap should be rolled out in a way that makes it come out smoothly, preventing the need to twist or turn your fingers. Rolling it the correct way ensures the wrap is applied without difficulty.

Why is it important not to apply too much pressure when wrapping the ankle?

Too much pressure can cut off circulation, which can lead to further complications. The goal is to provide support without restricting blood flow, especially in the toes.

Where should the most pressure be applied when wrapping a swollen ankle?

The most pressure should be applied near the toes, with decreasing pressure as you move up the leg. This encourages the flow of fluid back up and helps reduce swelling.

Why is the heel often left unwrapped when applying the bandage?

Leaving the heel unwrapped can make it easier to put on shoes, and also helps maintain comfort while still providing adequate support to the injured area.

What alternative is suggested instead of using the metal clips that come with some bandages?

It is suggested to use sports tape instead of the metal clips, as the clips can sometimes stab into the skin and may not secure the wrap as well as tape.

What is the difference in technique between wrapping for a sprain and wrapping for swelling?

For a sprain, the wrap focuses on pulling the foot outward to relieve pressure on the ligaments. For swelling, the goal is to reduce swelling by wrapping firmly near the toes and applying less pressure as you move up, without necessarily pulling the foot outward.

What should be done if the wrap causes discomfort or cuts off circulation?

If the wrap causes discomfort or cuts off circulation, it should be loosened slightly to allow for better blood flow, while still providing enough support to help with healing.

Outlines

00:00

🦶 How to Wrap a Sprained or Swollen Ankle: Step-by-Step Guide

Dr. Jo begins by explaining how to wrap a sprained or swollen ankle, a common injury typically on the outside of the ankle. She emphasizes the importance of keeping the foot in a neutral 90-degree position with a slight outward tilt to relieve pressure on the affected ligaments. She advises rolling out the bandage properly to make the wrapping smoother and easier, warning against rolling it in the wrong direction to avoid complications. The wrapping process involves starting with an anchor at the top of the foot, pulling the wrap outwards to help with positioning, and ensuring proper tension without cutting off circulation. Dr. Jo also highlights key points like leaving the heel slightly exposed for better shoe comfort, using sports tape for securing instead of metal clasps, and applying more pressure towards the toes to promote fluid drainage from swelling.

💡 Key Considerations for Wrapping an Ankle: Proper Tension and Technique

Dr. Jo goes into further detail about the wrapping technique, explaining how to apply the right amount of pressure and tension to manage swelling and keep the ankle in a neutral position. She emphasizes the need to avoid too much pressure, which can cut off circulation. The importance of gradual pressure increases as the wrapping progresses from the toes upwards is discussed, ensuring that fluid is encouraged to move away from the swollen area. Dr. Jo also notes that avoiding pressure on the heel helps with shoe comfort and advises caution with metal clasps that might irritate the skin. Using sports tape for a more secure wrap is recommended.

⚕️ Wrapping a Swollen Ankle for Fluid Drainage

In this section, Dr. Jo describes how to wrap an ankle when dealing with general swelling rather than a sprain. She stresses the importance of maintaining a neutral position with a 90-degree angle but says that outward positioning is less crucial than when wrapping for a sprain. She demonstrates starting the wrap near the toes, applying firm pressure but ensuring it's loose enough to insert a finger under the wrap to avoid cutting off circulation. The wrapping technique involves overlapping layers by about half, gradually working up the foot with decreasing pressure. The process mimics a figure-eight pattern for effective fluid management.

✅ Finishing the Wrap: Tips for Reducing Swelling

Dr. Jo concludes by showing how to finish the wrapping process to aid in reducing swelling. She explains that after wrapping up to the top of the foot, you can go back down in a figure-eight pattern for additional support. In cases of significant swelling, wearing a shoe might not be possible, so she advises using tape rather than clasps to secure the wrap. The goal is to ensure smooth, firm support that promotes fluid drainage and reduces swelling. Dr. Jo encourages viewers to leave comments with questions, visit her website for more videos, and reminds them to stay safe, have fun, and prioritize their healing.

Keywords

💡Sprained Ankle

A sprained ankle refers to the injury of the ligaments that support the ankle, often occurring on the outside of the ankle due to a twisting or rolling motion. In the video, the presenter demonstrates how to wrap a sprained ankle to reduce discomfort and prevent further injury, focusing on supporting the ligaments on the outside of the foot.

💡Neutral Position

The neutral position involves placing the foot at a 90-degree angle, ensuring that it is not bent inwards or outwards. This is essential for wrapping a sprained ankle, as it keeps the foot stable and reduces stress on the injured ligaments. The presenter emphasizes maintaining this position to aid in healing and prevent additional strain.

💡Swelling

Swelling is a common symptom after an injury like a sprain, where fluid builds up in the affected area. In the video, swelling is addressed through a specific wrapping technique designed to help push the excess fluid back up the leg, promoting circulation and reducing discomfort.

💡Pressure

Pressure in this context refers to the amount of force applied while wrapping the ankle. The presenter explains the importance of applying enough pressure to support the ankle and control swelling, but not so much that it cuts off circulation. She demonstrates adjusting pressure levels when wrapping different parts of the foot and ankle.

💡Ligaments

Ligaments are bands of tough, flexible tissue that connect bones and stabilize joints. A sprained ankle typically involves injury to the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. The video focuses on positioning the foot to relieve stress on these ligaments while wrapping the ankle to aid in recovery.

💡Anchor

An anchor refers to the initial section of the wrap that is secured around a stable part of the foot or ankle to ensure the rest of the wrap stays in place. In the video, the presenter shows how to create an anchor at the top of the ankle, ensuring that the foot is supported properly and that the wrapping stays secure.

💡Figure 8 Wrapping

Figure 8 wrapping is a technique where the wrap is applied in a crisscross pattern, resembling the shape of the number eight. This method is used to provide extra support to the ankle while evenly distributing pressure. The presenter uses this method to ensure that both the swelling and injured ligaments are properly addressed.

💡Dorsiflexion

Dorsiflexion is the movement of raising the foot upwards towards the shin. In the video, the presenter refers to dorsiflexion when discussing the proper positioning of the foot for wrapping, explaining that a 90-degree angle is often called the 'zero neutral' position in terms of dorsiflexion, which is crucial for proper ankle support.

💡Sports Tape

Sports tape is an adhesive tape commonly used to provide support and limit movement in injured areas. The presenter suggests using sports tape instead of the small metal clips that often come with elastic bandages, as tape is less likely to cause discomfort and can offer better security in holding the wrap in place.

💡Circulation

Circulation refers to the flow of blood through the body. In the video, the presenter stresses the importance of ensuring that the wrap is not too tight, as this could restrict circulation to the toes, potentially causing numbness or further injury. Proper wrapping techniques are demonstrated to maintain healthy blood flow while still supporting the injured ankle.

Highlights

Introduction to wrapping a sprained or swollen ankle.

Ensure the foot is in a neutral 90-degree angle position when wrapping the ankle.

For a sprained ankle, position the foot slightly outward to relieve pressure on the outer ligaments.

Tips on unrolling the bandage smoothly by rolling it outwards, not inwards.

Start with an anchor wrap at the top of the foot to secure the bandage.

Apply light pressure when wrapping to avoid cutting off circulation.

Increase pressure slightly as you approach the toes to encourage fluid drainage.

Leave the heel mostly uncovered to accommodate putting on a shoe.

For general swelling, wrap firmly at the toes but maintain room for circulation.

Each layer of the bandage should overlap about halfway over the previous one.

Use less pressure as you wrap upwards to prevent discomfort.

A figure-eight pattern is recommended for wrapping to cross over areas and create stability.

Tighten the wrap as you continue, ensuring smooth transitions between layers.

Suggests using sports tape instead of metal fasteners to avoid skin injury.

The wrap helps control swelling by working fluid out of the leg, promoting recovery.

Transcripts

Hey everybody, it's Doctor Jo. Today I'm gonna show you how to wrap a sprained or swollen ankle. Let's get started.

So when wrapping a sprained ankle, either for yourself or for

someone else, usually a sprain is on the outside of the ankle here. So you want to have your

foot in a neutral position. About that 90 degree angle, and slightly out to the side

cause this is the side that hurts. So when you're wrapping it, you want it to go out

a little bit to take the pressure off the ligaments on the outside. Take these little

pieces off, and don't step on them because that will probably hurt. One key piece that

makes it so much easier when you wrap is roll it out this way. Don't roll it out this way

because if you roll it out this way, it will come out smoother, and this way you have to

kind of twist and turn your fingers and it ends up making it really hard. But don't drop

it cause then it will all roll out. So you want to do just a little anchor up top here,

and you want it to be on the outside this way so when you pull, you're pulling that

foot to the outside to get into that outer neutral position. So usually I'll just do

one or two wraps at the top. And then come down across, and see how I give it a little

tug and then come back up. So what you want is a little bit of pressure, but not so much

where you're cutting off the circulation and then once you get down to the toes, here,

you want a little bit more pressure then up top because you want that flow of the fluid

and the swelling to come back up this way. So you don't want a lot of pressure here and

then it go all the way to your toes. The pull a little bit again, come around, pull a little

bit again, come up, wrap around. If you want to go one more time, get that last little

bit right there, pull and come around. I usually leave the heel mostly out because if you're

gonna put a shoe on or something, it just works a little better that way. And then you

come around wrap it back up. Usually at the top because once you put these anchors back

on, you don't want them to be anywhere down on the bottom of your foot. But sometimes

these aren't the best, so maybe just using some sports tape or something cause again,

you don't want to stab your skin with those little things. So that is just to pull outside,

a lateral ankle sprain. See how it keeps it now in a neutral position so if I just relax

now it keeps it here and it's not dropping it down and it's not dropping it inward which

is that natural motion. So the next one I'm just gonna show you is a swelling in general

wrap. So just for wrapping your ankle when it's swollen and you want to work the swelling

out, you still want to get that foot kind of in a neutral position, coming up this way

that 90 degrees, or we call it zero neutral for dorsiflexion, but the going out isn't

quite as important. So this time, still rolling it out this way, not this way. I'm gonna anchor

it down by the toes. So this is gonna be a pretty firm pull, but you still want to be

able to get your finger underneath so it doesn't cut off the circulation to your toes. And

then you're gonna wrap just about half way over each layer. And then your gonna warp,

and again I kind of don't go all the way around the heel. I'll come up and then you're doing

a little bit less pressure. Coming all the way up, and then you can actually go back

down after that. And so it's almost like a figure 8. So then you're crossing over the

places that you did before. But getting tighter as you go all the way through. And so with

this one, once you get to the end here, you probably wouldn't have a shoe on cause of

the swelling, so you can use these. But I would still maybe use some tape instead of

these since it's right on top. And so as you can see, it's still pretty smooth there, but

that's gonna work that fluid out of your leg. So there you have it. If you have any questions,

leave them in the comments section. If you'd like to check out some other videos, go to

Askdoctorjo.com Don't forget to Like and Subscribe to us. And remember, be safe (don't poke yourself),

have fun and I hope you feel better soon.