How to Stabilize the Knee With Athletic Tape

Knee pain and misalignment can be caused by a number of things, including injury, aging or overuse. When your knee is not aligned properly, you can find yourself unable to perform daily tasks or exercises. Fixing this problem can be done with the help of physical therapy and knee taping. If you've got knee pain, learning how to tape up your knee to alleviate it can help get you back on your feet.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Athletic tape

1. • 1
     Make an appointment with a physical therapist to determine what position will be most beneficial for taping your knee. Trying to tape your knee on your own can lead to taping in a detrimental position that can contribute to pain or cause further damage. A physical therapist can help find the correct alignment for taping.
   • 2
     Practice with your physical therapist taping up your knee and positioning it correctly to ensure you can do it properly at home. Your physical therapist will typically study your movement to find a position that helps alleviate knee pain and can then show you the best position for wrapping.
   • 3
     Practice at home with a family member or friend's help. Position your knee cap in the proper position and have a friend hold it into place so that you can begin taping without having to worry about it slipping.
   • 4
     Wrap around you leg below the knee once to start, then wrap it around your knee as demonstrated by your therapist. Do not wrap tape too tightly, as this can lead to poor circulation to your knee and cause more pain. Wrap so that it is snug, but the area of your knee doesn't begin to get red.
   • 5
     Stand up, putting weight on your knee to see if the pain is alleviated after you've wrapped it. If there is still pain, try re-wrapping it and moving it slightly, as it might just be a little out of position. If there is no pain, then continue with your daily activities and unwrap the knee at the end of the day.