Foot and Ankle Taping
Put your feet in our skilled hands.
We love our fancy toys at Tweed Podiatry! But there is perhaps no humbler a tool with more immediate benefit than taping when put in the hands of a skilled clinician (we like to think that’s us!).
Taping is pretty much a daily part of our practice. It gives patients added support alongside their foot orthoses, it provides pain-relief during an acute injury and it provides protection for runners about to hit the trails or footballers about to hit the pitch.
Years of practice, refinement and a very very detailed understanding of anatomy means the only limitation to taping is our imaginations!
Getting specific.
Taping is generally being used to take some of the load off an injured structure for pain relief. The choice of tape and the technique we use will vary from one situation to another but tends to drop into one of two categories:
We may be looking to brace a segment of the foot to limit painful movement as much as possible. A good example would be taping up the big toe joint, perhaps in an older patient with an acute arthritic pain or in a rugby player with a turf toe injury. In these cases we are using a rigid tape like zinc oxide.
The other big use for taping is to “share the load” of a tissue that we still want to allow to move and function as well as possible. An example of this might be when taping up someone’s painful tibialis posterior tendon (like the blue tape in the picture) so it can still move but hopefully giving the patient less pain and more confidence which can be so important to get you on-side with the “homework” (exercises) we are likely to ask you to do!
The trick with any taping technique is sound anatomy knowledge and knowing in detail how the mechanics of the foot and ankle work. Done right, people are often shocked at how well this can work!
Getting you back on your feet.
Taping techniques in all their varied forms represent an important tool in the rehabilitation. tool box. The primary goal of taping is to change how load is distributed through the tissues in your foot, ankle and lower limb. By reducing the load on an injured structure we are aiming to give it the opportunity to heal more effectively. From tendon pain to arthritis, to ligament strains and bony injuries, taping can be a simple yet highly effective way to move forward.
And moving forward is always at the core of what we seek to do! We are always happy to provide our patients with taping and to teach you the techniques to use at home where possible. But always with the understanding that it’s there to empower you to MOVE. To rebuild, to get stronger and more robust so your feet, ankles and lower limbs are ready to take on the challenges of the activities you love.
Guide Prices
Included in our musculoskeletal, sports and rehab. appointments as indicated by your specific needs.
