How to tape for meniscus tear?

Ah, the meniscus tear. One of the sneaky injuries that can creep up on you when you least expect it. But fear not, because taping can help alleviate some of that pesky pain and prevent further damage.

But before we dive into the nitty-gritty details of taping a meniscus tear, let’s quickly cover what exactly this injury is.

What is a Meniscus Tear?

Think back to high school biology class where you learned about cartilage – remember? Well, your knee joint has two c-shaped pieces of cartilage called menisci (yes, that’s plural for meniscus). Their main job is to cushion and stabilize your knee during all sorts of movements like jumping, running and pivoting.

Now imagine an overzealous football player who happens to twist his knee too forcefully while trying to dodge a tackle. That sudden force can cause one or both of those juicy menisci bits in his knees to split apart – yikes! And voila: a lovely little meniscus tear is born.

The Benefits Of Taping

Taping won’t necessarily cure your injury altogether but there are definitely benefits when it comes to managing pain and stabilizing injured areas.

Here are just some perks:
– Can provide support for weakened muscles
– Aids in correct movement patterns
– Limits excessive movement which could lead to worse problems (nobody wants surgery!)
– Encourages faster healing time by limiting progression/symptoms

Sounds pretty great right? Now onto everyone’s favorite part – how do we tape for this noisy neighbor — aka Mr. “Menisci”!

How To Tape For Medial Meniscal Tears??

When dealing with medial tears specifically (aka inside most aspect), tape placement should be targeted at preventing excess internal rotation stress on affected area through Reducing Valgus or external knee joint stress.

What you will need:

-Pre-wrap (to protect skin)
-Elastic tape (2” width)
-Patience

Here are the steps to take:

  1. Place pre-wrap around ankle bone, up shinbone and over popliteal fossa.
    (Pro tip: This helps prevent any unnecessary irritation of the always-sensitive popliteal region).
  2. Take ends of elastic tape and apply a small “anchor” piece directly above inner elbow.
  3. Wrap tape in figure 8 pattern around your knee with just enough tension to notice a slight pull. (Not too much though! We don’t want to cut circulation!!!) Ensure it starts below knee cap and extends upwards towards top edge of back vertical anchor strip for better placement
    4.Repeat pattern again, overlapping each pass until about 85% coverage is achieved
    5.Lastly, ensure that last layer covers entire medial aspect from slightly below midpoint thigh/calf musculature insertion where semimembranousus tendon attaches all way down past bottom/inside area

And voila! You now have our beginner’s guide on how to stabilize those pesky little menisci tears…happy taping!

How To Tape For Lateral Meniscal Tears??

If dealing with lateral tears specifically (aka outermost aspect), we recommend applying leverage or compression towards medial side, which reduces excessive lateralization movement stresses caused by gait.

Again heres what you’ll need!
-Pre-wrap (to protect skin)
-Elastic tape (2” width)
-A steady hand

The step-by-steps:
1.First place an anchor strip with one end at the inside lower portion above ankle ball while extending long ways up beyond calf muscle group attachment point near fibula.
(A Tip:Just like in gymnastics – focus on form here!)
2.Wraptape from this middle/higher orientation towards lower knee (lateral) to create an “archery shape”.
3.Continue wrapping upwards at a diagonal angle (medial kaiser), with relaxed tension allowing the tape to cover on full arch.
4. Once you reach top inner seam of shorts/pants, refocus your attention and guide tape downwards along mid thigh again creating figure-8 pattern
5.Cut once proper coverage is achieved!

And there folks, our two cents on how best to tape for both medial and lateral meniscus tears – we hope it helps!!!

A Few Extra Tips

All the above techniques are tried-and-tested by seasoned athletes and physical therapists alike. However, here are some bonus pointers that might just give you…nah we’re kidding – they will ABSOLUTELY give you that final edge in prevention & recovery:
– Practicing healthy movement patterns during all activities
– Always checking appropriate foot biomechanics
– Progressively strengthening quadriceps muscles gradually through safe exercises such as squats or step ups not straining beyond tolerance level.

Remember: taping can help reduce immediate pain levels but don’t rely solely on tapes when trying to improve overall rehab process– consider adding exercise regimen focused specifically around core movements associated with general knee resilience/wellness.

You got this!

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