How to Wrap an Ankle with an Elastic Bandage

The figure-eight is the wrap most of us were shown once and half-remember. Here it is, start to finish.

What you need

A 3- or 4-inch elastic bandage (3 inch for smaller feet, 4 inch for most adults).
A chair, so the foot rests at a right angle.
Two minutes and no hurry.

Step by step

Sit down and hold the foot at about ninety degrees, toes pointing up.
Anchor the roll with two turns around the ball of the foot, just behind the toes.
Bring the roll diagonally over the top of the foot toward the inside of the ankle.
Go around the back of the ankle and diagonally down across the top of the foot — that is one figure-eight.
Repeat, overlapping each pass by about half, moving up toward the heel.
Finish with two turns above the ankle bone and fasten the hook-and-loop end.

Tension

Snug, never tight. You should be able to slide a finger under the edge. If the toes tingle, go pale, feel cold or the throbbing gets worse, unwrap and start again looser.

When to see someone

If you cannot put weight on the foot, the ankle looks misshapen, or the swelling and pain are not easing after a day or two, get it checked. A wrap supports; it does not diagnose.