Leave it to me to find a way to sprain my ankle on a flat surface. But personally spraining my ankle led me on a journey to read through a lot of ankle support research. One magical product I stumbled upon during that research was KT tape for an ankle. So I’m going to share with you all my findings on KT tape, specifically for ankles. Hopefully you find it helpful as well!
What is KT Tape?
KT tape stands for kinesiology therapeutic tape. Which is basically a fancy way to describe a specific kind of durable sports tape that was designed to bring you pain relief.
This special tape can be used any number of places on the body such as the shoulder, elbow or hamstring.
Whether you’re experiencing pain from an injury or know you’re probably going to get sore after a hard workout, you can apply KT tape for a drug-free pain relief option.
When to Use KT Tape for Ankles?
The bottom line is you can use KT tape for ankles for any preventative or post injury concerns.
As with any injury, you want to be sure to consult your doctor before use. But KT tape is designed to assist with supporting weaker muscles, tendons or ligaments. So if you have weak ankles from previous sprains, you can apply KT tape to your ankles for added support before an ankle intensive workout.
How to Add KT Tape to an Ankle?
For optimal support, you will need three pieces of KT tape per ankle. One nice feature of KT tape is that it comes in pre-made strips so it’s easy to tear off three pieces for your ankle.
To learn how to apply the KT tape to your ankle properly, KT tape created this video:
How to Remove KT Tape?
It may seem silly to discuss how to remove KT tape from your ankle but if you’ve experienced the difficulty, then you know.
So for those not familiar, just imagine. You’ve recently sprained your ankle. It’s tender to the touch. You’ve applied KT tape to your ankle to add additional support and now it’s been a few days so it’s time to change it out. That tape is stuck on tight. How do you remove KT tape from an ankle without causing more pain?
Always attempt to remove KT tape in the shower. 15-20 minutes before you’re about to take a shower, rub some baby oil all over the tape and let that sit. Next, jump in the shower and get the tape thoroughly wet.
My Personal Thoughts on Using KT Tape for Ankles
I can honestly say, KT tape really does support the ankle if you apply it the way the company suggests.
One thing that surprised me, is that the outside of the tape is a lot softer than I expected. With more severe sprains in the past, I’ve worn a RocketSoc. Due to all the straps and ties, it can really start digging into your skin during a workout. Whereas the KT tape is more comfortable by far.
Be warned, it does take time to get the application of the KT tape right. Some helpful tips I learned:
- Try not to stretch or pull the tape too much or the adhesive doesn’t seem to work as well
- Be sure to rub in each strip for a couple of seconds in order for the tape to really adhere to your body
Ultimately, I found KT tape to be a great added support for my ankle sprain as it finished healing. By adding the tape before a workout, I was able to confidently make it through the exercises while still being mindful to modify movements as needed.
If you have an injury, you should always consult your doctor on how best to handle it. We are not the expert and are only sharing our personal experience. Have you ever used KT tape yourself? What were your thoughts after using it?
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