NFL Ankle Taping: Why Players Tape, Its Benefits, and How It Works

Why do NFL players tape their ankles?

NFL players tape their ankles primarily for prophylactic support to prevent common ankle sprains, to provide stability for existing minor injuries, to enhance proprioceptive feedback, and for the psychological comfort it offers, all crucial for the high-impact, dynamic demands of professional football.

The Critical Role of Ankle Support in Professional Football

The sport of American football, particularly at the elite NFL level, places immense stresses on the human body. Athletes engage in explosive movements, rapid changes of direction, high-speed collisions, and forceful impacts. Among the most vulnerable joints in this environment are the ankles, which bear the full force of these dynamic actions. Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries in football, making injury prevention and management paramount. Ankle taping, a long-standing practice in athletic training, serves as a cornerstone of injury mitigation strategies for NFL players.

Primary Reasons for Ankle Taping

The decision to tape an NFL player's ankle is multifaceted, driven by a combination of preventative, therapeutic, and performance-related factors.

Prophylactic Support (Injury Prevention)

The most significant reason for ankle taping is to prevent injuries, particularly lateral (inversion) ankle sprains. These occur when the foot rolls inward, stretching or tearing the ligaments on the outside of the ankle.

• Mechanism: Taping provides external mechanical support, limiting excessive ranges of motion, especially inversion and plantarflexion, which are common mechanisms of ankle sprains. By restricting these movements, the tape helps to keep the ankle joint within a safe and stable range during explosive cuts, landings, and impacts.
• Targeted Protection: This is especially crucial for linemen, who are constantly engaged in pushing and shoving, and for skill players who rely on quick, agile movements.

Acute Injury Management and Stabilization

For players who have previously suffered an ankle sprain or have a minor pre-existing instability, taping offers vital support to protect the healing ligaments and prevent re-injury.

• Stabilization: It acts as an external ligament, reinforcing the joint and reducing the likelihood of the ankle "giving way" during play. This allows players to return to activity more safely or to continue playing with a managed, minor instability.
• Pain Reduction: By limiting painful movements, taping can also contribute to a reduction in discomfort during activity.

Proprioceptive Feedback

Proprioception is the body's ability to sense the position and movement of its parts. Ankle taping can enhance this crucial sensory feedback.

• Enhanced Awareness: The constant pressure and tactile stimulation from the tape on the skin around the ankle provide continuous sensory input to the brain. This heightened awareness of the ankle's position in space can lead to quicker neuromuscular responses, allowing muscles to react faster to stabilize the joint during unexpected movements or missteps, thereby reducing injury risk.
• Neuromuscular Control: Improved proprioception translates into better balance and coordination, essential for the dynamic and unpredictable nature of football.

Psychological Comfort

While not a direct biomechanical benefit, the psychological aspect of ankle taping is significant for many athletes.

• Feeling of Security: Many players report feeling more secure, confident, and "locked in" when their ankles are taped, especially if they have a history of ankle injuries. This mental assurance can positively impact performance by allowing the player to focus on the game rather than worrying about their ankle.
• Ritual and Routine: For some, taping becomes a part of their pre-game ritual, contributing to their mental preparation and readiness for competition.

The Biomechanics of Ankle Taping

Ankle taping works by creating a rigid, supportive shell around the joint. Common techniques, such as the "basket weave" or "figure-8" patterns, involve multiple layers of adhesive tape applied in specific directions.

• Restriction of Excessive Movement: The tape physically limits the range of motion, primarily inversion and eversion (sideways rolling of the foot), which are the most common mechanisms for ankle sprains. It also provides some restriction to extreme plantarflexion (pointing the toes down).
• Load Distribution: While its primary role is not load bearing, the tape can help distribute some forces away from vulnerable ligaments, although this effect is secondary to its motion-restricting properties.
• Dynamic vs. Static Support: It's important to note that while tape provides immediate static support, its effectiveness in restricting motion can diminish over time during intense activity due to stretching, sweating, and movement. However, even with some loss of mechanical integrity, the proprioceptive and psychological benefits often persist.

Taping vs. Bracing

While some NFL players opt for rigid or semi-rigid ankle braces, taping remains a prevalent choice for several reasons:

• Custom Fit: Taping offers a custom, anatomical fit that can be precisely tailored to the individual's ankle shape and specific support needs, adapting to swelling or anatomical variations.
• Reduced Bulk: Tape is generally less bulky than most braces, which can be advantageous inside a football cleat and for maintaining agility.
• Flexibility in Support Level: The tension and pattern of the tape can be adjusted to provide varying degrees of support, from very rigid to more flexible, depending on the player's needs and the stage of recovery from an injury.

Evidence and Effectiveness

Numerous studies in sports medicine have investigated the effectiveness of prophylactic ankle taping.

• Injury Incidence: Research generally supports that ankle taping can reduce the incidence and severity of ankle sprains, especially in athletes with a history of previous ankle injuries. It acts as an effective primary prevention strategy.
• Performance: While taping restricts some motion, studies typically show no significant negative impact on athletic performance metrics like speed, agility, or vertical jump, suggesting that the benefits outweigh any minor biomechanical limitations for most athletes.

Who Applies Ankle Tape?

The precise application of ankle tape is a skilled procedure, almost exclusively performed by certified athletic trainers (ATCs) or physical therapists. These professionals possess a deep understanding of anatomy, biomechanics, and taping techniques to ensure optimal support without compromising circulation or causing skin irritation.

Conclusion

Ankle taping is an integral and highly valued practice in the NFL, serving as a multi-layered protective strategy. By providing crucial mechanical stability, enhancing proprioceptive feedback, and offering significant psychological reassurance, it plays a vital role in safeguarding players against injury, facilitating their return to play, and ultimately enabling them to perform at the elite level required by professional football.