Taping Tuesday: Week ten - MCL support tape

In what’s already been a massive week in the sporting world from Australia’s demolition of the English cricket team to Mick Fannings close shark encounter, lets keep the ball rolling with an exciting Week 10 of Taping Tuesday.

Today, Physiotherapist and Pilates Instructor Kaidee Arnold demonstrates how to perform a MCL Support Tape on Practice Principal Anthony McEvoy.

This tape job is most often used for athletes returning to sport after damaging their Medial Collateral Ligament or MCL of their knee.

The tape is designed to increase the stability and support the inside of the knee against rotational or valgus forces.

You can also perform the same taping techniques to the elbow with great affect following an MCL or LCL strain.

After watching the above video, we have outlined a number of important steps to remember when performing an MCL tape of the knee:

• Fixomul base: It’s important to lay down a strip of fixomul circumferentially around the thigh and lower leg, this prevents irritation of the skin and helps to keep the tape on for longer.
• Rigid anchors: Circumferential rigid tape laid over the top of the fixomul to act as an anchor. Remember to tense your quads and calf muscles as you apply the tape to ensure it isn’t too tight.
• Rigid tape: The main support structure of this taping technique is provided by the rigid criss-cross on the inside of the knee.
• Elastic tape: Finish off with a layer of elastic tape, again creating a criss-cross on the inside of the knee, reinforcing the rigid tape and locking off any lose edges. It’s important to lock this elastic layer off with rigid tape.

Thanks for joining us for another week and our 10th edition of Taping Tuesday.

Remember if you have suffered an MCL injury then proper assessment and the prescription of a rehabilitation program is most important to ensure full recovery.

Tune in for another exciting edition next week and remember Lifecare Cottesloe is always here to assess, treat and tape any of your musculoskeletal concerns and we are open after hours and on Saturdays.

Give us a call on (08) 9384 3269 or book an appointment online.