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Wrap it up, I'll take it to go
Sprained and twisted ankles seem to come with the territory of sports and fitness, especially running activities. Luckily, a simple elastic bandage can effectively compress tissues around the injured area to help prevent swelling and provide support.
After you feel that "crunch" and the first tinge of pain, get the ice out of the freezer pronto. Apply the ice to the injured area with a towel or cloth (not necessarily needed if ice is in an ice bag) between the freezing cold and your skin. When you're not icing, use an elastic bandage to help keep the swelling down until you can see a doctor.
Weekend warriors take note: if you're feeling energized but haven't exercised in a while, pack an elastic bandage in your gym bag. You'll thank us later.
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That's a Wrap!
Elastic bandages are designed as a first-aid response to damage or injury to the inner tissues such as muscles, ligaments, and cartilage. They provide the injury site with compression and support. Compression applied to an injury reduces swelling and support protects the injury from further stress.
For Minor Injuries Only
- Elastic bandages are not a substitute for seeking the advice of a health professional. They are appropriate as first aid only. If you have any doubt about the severity of your injury, consult a doctor immediately.
- Elastic bandages alone are not sufficient to treat damaged or injured tissues. Bandages must be accompanied by further treatment of the injury that may or may not include rest, ice, compression, and elevation (R.I.C.E.).
- For minor injuries that can be self-treated, elastic bandages are an ideal way of preventing swelling and providing stability until the injury successfully repairs itself.
- One of the most common reasons that minor injuries turn into major ones is that people allow elastic bandages to provide them with a false sense of security. It does not provide nearly the support that a cast, sling, or brace does.
- For major injuries and instances of sharp or dull pain that do not decrease over the time of treatment, elastic bandages are not sufficient treatment. In such cases, seek the advice of a doctor immediately.
- Elastic bandages are not suggested for superficial wounds such as burns, blisters, cuts, and scrapes. In the event of these injuries, practice the appropriate first aid and consult a doctor if necessary.
Pick the Right Bandage
- Elastic bandages may be found at most pharmacies, drug stores, and sporting goods stores.
- Elastic bandages have no adhesive; their elastic fabric wraps around the limb and is held on by fasteners that are either attached or removable.
- Bandages with attached fasteners are usually preferred as there is no risk of losing fasteners, plus they are easier to wrap.
- Neoprene braces worn around the elbow or knee are not the same thing as elastic bandages. Neoprene braces provide warmth only.
- Better-quality fabric means longer wear.
- Elastic bandages come in a variety of widths. Purchasing a width too wide or too narrow can provide you with insufficient or inappropriate support.
- Make sure the bandage you purchase is long enough to wrap around the injured site adequately. The bandage will not provide sufficient support if you cannot perform proper wrapping technique because it is too short.
- Until injured individuals everywhere rise up in revolution and protest, we seem to be stuck with that rather unattractive "tan" color for our elastic bandages.
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Why Use an Elastic Bandage?
- Elastic bandages are meant to be used as a first-aid response to damaged or injured tissues such as muscles, cartilage, bone, and ligaments. You must seek the advice of a doctor in the case of injuries that cannot be self-treated.
- Bandages keep swelling down and offer support. However, the support is nowhere near substantial enough to deal with broken or fractured bones.
Things To Remember
- Whether they work or not depends on how well you treat the injured area and your wrapping technique.
The Proper Way to Wrap a Limb
- Again, do not consider an elastic bandage as the sole means to treat injured inner tissues. Apply the elastic bandage and, depending on the injury, seek the advice of a doctor and get rest.
- Make sure the limb is clean and dry.
- Take one end of the bandage and place it on top of the instep of your foot.
- Wrap the bandage around your foot twice, going further up towards the ankle with each wrap.
- The pattern will resemble an "8."
- Wrap the ankle in this fashion twice.
- Bring the remaining length of the bandage around the top of your ankle, wrapping upwards, tightest around the foot and ankle so circulation can pump upwards.
- Fasten the end with the included metal fasteners.
- If you have lost the fastener, a piece of adhesive tape will do just fine.
- The above can be modified for bandaging any other injured limb.
Tips for Treating Injuries
- Injuries should be iced during the first 24 hours to bring down swelling prior to wrapping and in between re-wrappings.
- Icing is meant to alleviate pain and reduce swelling.
- Use an unopened package of frozen vegetables or stick foot in a bucket of ice water (temperature not less than 50 degrees F).
- Never place ice directly on the skin. Always put a cloth between the ice and your skin or place ice in bag. Apply for 15-20 minutes only. More is not better.
- Numbing of the skin is a natural thing when icing. However, if your skin loses too much sensation and/or the skin texture changes, discontinue icing immediately.
- Elevate the limb during icing.
- Contrary to popular practice, when wrapping, the elastic bandage should not be stretched too much. It is OK to stretch a little. The elasticity is there to provide limited movement.
- The fit should not be too loose either. Aim for a snug fit.
- If your limb turns blue or is numb or tingling, you have wrapped too tightly. You can squeeze your toe, and if it returns to the normal color, then the wrapping is OK. If it is too tight, unwrap immediately, wait 20 minutes to allow circulation to return to your limb, and re-wrap.
- You should unwrap and rewrap your bandage at least twice a day to allow circulation.
- If you have a sprain, be sure to ice your injury between wrappings to keep swelling down. Keep in mind that sprains require medical attention.
Seek the Advice of a Doctor Immediately If
- Swelling and pain do not subside after 48 hours.
- If there was a gradual onset to the pain, you may be suffering from a disease and not an injury.
- Joints appear misshapen.
- Fever, infection, or a rash accompany the injury.
- Soreness and pain seem to affect more than one part of the body. You may be suffering from a disease and not just an injury.
- The joint appears to be dislocated.
Preventive Measures
- Soreness and inner-tissue injury are realities of athletic activity. Did you know muscles are made larger and stronger by the tearing and rebuilding of muscle fibers? Don't let soreness stop you from exercising.
- On the other hand, don't ignore pain.
- In the event of soreness, increase your activity gradually and consistently.
- Ice, elevate, and rest your muscles properly.
- You can eliminate a lot of unnecessary pain, injury, and damage by stretching before and after exercise! It takes extra time, but it is well worth it.
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Listen to Your Body
- If pain persists or numbness and tingling occur even without a wrap on, consult a doctor immediately. Pain is your body's way of communicating information to you, so be sure to listen to it.
- If you are self-treating an injury and the pain persists or does not lessen, seek the advice of a doctor.
- Never put on an elastic bandage, take a pain-killer, and then continue to exercise at the same intensity -- you can cause serious damage.
- If you have any reduction of function in your limb, such as not being able to move fingers on an injured arm, seek the attention of a doctor immediately. This is often a sign of serious tissue damage.
- Watch for visual signs of damage such as color change, excessive swelling, and bruising. Seek the advice of a doctor in such cases.
- Diabetics need to be particularly vigilant about injuries to their extremities. Because of lessened sensitivity, diabetics with nerve damage should be rigorous about observing changes in the injury site and seeking the attention of a doctor immediately
Use a Bandage Properly
- Repeated pressure or improper treatment of a minor injury can turn it into a major injury. Keep off the injured limb and get rest. An elastic bandage is not a support device that allows you to keep exercising.
- Wrapping an elastic bandage too tightly can hinder the body's attempt to heal the injury. Be sure to aim for a snug, not tight, fit.
- If a bandage is old and has lost most of its elasticity, use a new one -- a bandage without elastic is no bandage at all.
- Because the skin under the bandage is covered, keep it clean and dry to avoid rashes and irritation.
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Websites, Organizations & Manufacturers
Sources & Further Reading
Books
- 1. American Medical Association.The American Medical Association: Guide to your family's symptoms. Washington, D.C.: American Pharmaceutical Association 1992.
- 2. Fauci, Anthony S. et al. Eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 14th ed. New York: MacGraw Hill 1998.
Find more books on health and wellness at  barnesandnoble.com.
Articles
- 1. Rahman, Shireen."Sportin' slips: how to prevent and care for sports injuries". Diabetes Forecast; Vol. 48 1/1/1995.
- 2. Schwade, Steve."Bandage wrap-up". Prevention; Vol. 46 6/1/1994.
- 3. Leibowitz, Ed. "Hot spot bandages try to keep everyone covered". Newsday; 1993.
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