AFL Record - Taping

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Why

taping is a necessity

HELPING HAND:

A trainer tapes the fingers of West Coast youngster Scott Selwood.

M

DR JODI R ICH A R DSON

any of our favourite players take to the field each week so heavily taped you could be forgiven for wondering if their bodies would hold up without it.

Just how effective is taping in managing or preventing an injury?

Does taping actually prolong a playing career?

For Carlton captain Chris Judd, who heavily tapes his shoulders and has done so for years, the answers to these questions may be “very effective” and “yes”.

Taped shoulders are obvious to spectators, but many more ankles than shoulders are taped on game-day.

In fact, ankles and thumbs are the most commonly taped joints, according to Andrew Meehan from sports medicine product wholesaler Elastoplast Sport.

Meehan says some clubs have compulsory taping protocols where all players have their ankles taped on game-day and at training, regardless of injury history.

Other clubs base their taping practices on needs and player requests.

Not surprisingly, the amount of tape some clubs

Taping is useful to provide joint support, reduce pain and help prevent further injury by preventing extreme ranges of movement use is phenomenal. An AFL club can use up to 37km of tape a year, or about 1km per listed player.

Considering the amount used and the hours dedicated to its correct use, taping is a very important part of players’ preparation.

Collingwood physiotherapist Gary Nichols says there are a number of reasons for taping, including proprioceptive feedback, mechanical correction, joint support and pain reduction.

Proprioception is a very important reason taping is used. Put simply, it is the sense of knowing where your body parts are without looking at them.

It’s a positional sense that, for example, allows us to run

without looking at our feet.

It’s a very important sense in football – the better you can sense where your limbs are, the more control you have over them, the more skill you will have in using them and the less likely you are to injure them.

Tape is believed to improve proprioception through its contact with the skin and the tension that builds in the tape as a joint is moved outside its normal range.

If a player has previously injured a joint (dislocating a shoulder, for example) there will be muscle and ligament weaknesses that need extra support under the pressures of a match.

Taping is useful to provide joint support, reduce pain and help prevent further injury by

preventing extreme ranges of movement.

Sports physician Peter Brukner says the taping of chronically injured shoulder joints can help provide stability to the joint and help prevent dislocation.

He also notes that it often gives a player more confidence, with the joint feeling more stable and protected.

Nichols adds that “some (players) like the feeling of security that taping provides, which is probably just that increased assistance to proprioceptive feel”.

The most commonly taped joints for Collingwood players are ankles, feet, thumbs, fingers and shoulders, with at least 80 per cent of the team taped up each week.

The Magpies have compulsory taping for all previously injured ankle joints.

The head trainer will do the regular ankle taping, but the physiotherapists will tape for a specific injury or for mechanical correction of a joint.

Some of the corrective taping at Collingwood is for players’ feet.

Some players prefer to be taped, rather than wear orthotic inserts; others need taping to help their feet remain in correct alignment.

Many AFL players have their ankles taped, even though they may have never had an ankle injury; this is known as prophylactic taping.

It is done to assist in preventing and minimising injury.

The theory behind prophylactic ankle taping is to provide external support to the ligaments of the ankle, while

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allowing the foot to move in its normal range.

The tape acts to restrict any movement of the ankle beyond the norm, such as when a player rolls his ankle.

Even though injury can still occur to a taped ankle, the tape acts to minimise the severity of the injury.

A minor ankle sprain will put a player out for only one week, if at all, whereas a tear of ankle ligaments requires surgery and 8-12 weeks’ recovery.

Brukner says there is anecdotal and scientific evidence to support the use of prophylactic taping to reduce the likelihood of an ankle sprain.

He says there is no evidence to support concerns that ankle taping leads to a possible increase in stress to the knee.

Anyone who has ever been taped up knows that the tape is inelastic and stiff to start with, but gives over time.

Even though this happens, because the tape adheres to the skin, it remains effective in enhancing proprioception throughout a game.

PRECAUTION: Carlton star Chris Judd always plays with his shoulders heavily strapped.

Nichols also explains that, although the tape does lose some strength, it still has to stretch and rip before the ligaments are stretched or torn, suggesting tape works as a shock absorber.

Tape used by AFL clubs needs to be of very high quality to be effective.

Meehan explains that Elastoplast strictly controls tape quality, ensuring the correct tensile strength of the tape, amount of glue on the tape for adhesion and how porous the tape is, so that both air and sweat can pass through it to allow it to remain in position.

The speed of the game, the intensity of tackling, collisions between players and players hitting the ground results in injuries every week.

It’s therefore crucial for clubs to keep their players in peak playing condition.

Brukner explains that anything that can help prevent an injury or minimise the severity of an injury has the potential to prolong a playing career.

It’s no wonder regular taping of players is seen as both a necessity and an invaluable investment.

Dr Jodi Richardson completed her PhD at Monash University, investigating hamstring muscle training and its application to hamstring injury prevention in Australian Football. She specialises in communicating the science of sport.

L E AG U e L E A DERS

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Cont marks 21

Average 2.6

% of total marks 33.9%

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Cont marks 20

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% of total marks 36.4%

Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda) The thoroughbred in this category, Riewoldt is nigh on impossible to legally spoil when on song, with his height, reach, leap and superb hands.

Cont marks 19

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% of total marks 26.4%

Matthew Richardson (Richmond) The veteran ‘markologist’ (he took the most marks in the AFL last year) still occupies a prime position despite missing the past two games with injury.

Cont marks 19

Average 3.2

% of total marks 31.7%

Brendan Fevola (Carlton) Although the Blues match-winner had endured a quiet fortnight, he has repeatedly proven his ability to monster opponents with his considerable strength and mark at the last moment.

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