This application is for anterior shin splints where the pain is often located
in either the lower or middle portion of the shin slightly to the lateral side of the leg.
This is due to over exertion/ overuse of the anterior tibialis which is the muscle which actually
pulls your foot up- and this is how we tape for it.
Ok, for the first part of this application we want to position the foot properly so we are going to plantar flex,
or point the toes down much like a ballet dancer would and you are going to invert
or turn the sole of the foot inward as if you want to stretch right through this portion of the leg.
In this case I am going to use a red dot just to indicate approximately where that pain may be.
So here is actually the shin and I am going just lateral- and if we flex that muscle up-
(go ahead and actually pull up against my hand) there is that anterior tibialis.
But for positioning sake we are going to point those toes
and turn that foot inwards so that muscle is more on stretch.
For my first piece I am going to tear and create a Y strip-
that is tearing down the perforation of that tape
(and that will automatically stop at that anchor point).
From here I am going to tear off down at the logo end of the tape to form that anchor.
Where I am going to place this is just about 3-4 inches below that site of pain.
And as I take that paper backing off this first leg I am putting a very mild
(that would be a pretty good stretch),
but a very mild stretch on the tape.
As I lay that down I can actually bend it around that sight of pain,
and as I lay the remainder of the tape down I am taking full tension off the tape-
again, you don’t want tension at all on either end of the tape with any of these applications.
I am going to do the same thing on this piece.
I am going to do the same thing on this piece
I like to hold onto the paper of the tape- I am trying not to touch the glue or the adhesive
on that tape because my skin oils may upset the ability for it to adhere.
Again- a very mild stretch around that point of pain, and then just laying down that tail with no tension.
And whenever I lay the tape down I am trying not to lay it down on top of another piece of tape.
It will adhere much better to the skin than to the tape itself.
For the second piece- again I am going to form a Y-strip by tearing it down the perforation down to that anchor point-
down the perforation down to that anchor point-
it will automatically stop for you, tear that paper backing off.
And where I am going to place this is just lateral and almost to the back of the calf-
about that level of where the site of pain is.
I am going to make sure that anchor is on there good.
And as I pull the paper backing off, again leaving myself a little paper to hold onto,
I am going to put very good tension going just below that sight of pain.
Tension down, and once I get past that point of pain I am going to ease that tension off-
and we need to make a home for the remainder of the tail here,
and so where I am going to go is just up the back of the calf-
again there is no tension to that portion.
So again, for the second piece- there is no tension on the anchor.
I am going to pull, full tension, above that site of pain, lay that down
and ease that tension off (that is no tension).
Again, just going up and around the calf a little bit,
and what I am trying to do is not go fully around the leg however,
because once you start running and blood flow starts entering that muscle
and the muscle expands- I don’t want that tape constricting the calf at all.
And so at the end here I am just going to use this paper backing the waxy side of it
and make sure that tape is adhering to the skin really well-
what I am trying to do is create a little friction, and the friction creates a little heat,
and that heat warms up the adhesive and adheres to the skin much better
and that is how you tape for anterior shin splints.