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preventing extreme ranges

HELPING HAND:
trends A trainer tapes the of movement.
fingers of West Sports physician Peter Brukner

Why Coast youngster

Scott Selwood.
says the taping of chronically
injured shoulder joints can help

taping is a provide stability to the joint and

help prevent dislocation.

necessity He also notes that it often

gives a player more confidence,
with the joint feeling more stable

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
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.
FEEL EVERY BUMP.
HEAR IT LIKE YOU’RE IN IT.
3AW is football. Tune in to four quarters of all-star broadcast with Rex Hunt, Dennis Cometti, Tony Leonard and Shane Healy at 3AW 693.
Nichols also explains that, L E AG U e L E A DERS
Contested marking
although the tape does lose some
strength, it still has to stretch
and rip before the ligaments are
stretched or torn, suggesting Jonathan Brown (Brisbane Lions)
tape works as a shock absorber. The Lions skipper is a master of the contested
Tape used by AFL clubs needs mark, particularly those that require spine-
to be of very high tingling courage to run with the flight of the ball
quality to be effective. into oncoming packs.
Meehan explains that Cont marks Average % of total marks
Elastoplast strictly controls tape 21 2.6 33.9%
quality, ensuring the correct
tensile strength of the tape, Matthew Lloyd (Essendon)
amount of glue on the tape for
adhesion and how porous the The Bombers skipper has adapted superbly to a role
tape is, so that both air and sweat further up the field, across the half-forward line,
can pass through it to allow it to and his teammates have confidence in giving him
remain in position. one-on-one aerial duels.
The speed of the game, the Cont marks Average % of total marks
intensity of tackling, collisions 20 2.5 36.4%
between players and players
hitting the ground results in Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
injuries every week. The thoroughbred in this category, Riewoldt is nigh
It’s therefore crucial for on impossible to legally spoil when on song, with
clubs to keep their players his height, reach, leap and superb hands.
in peak playing condition. Cont marks Average % of total marks
Brukner explains that 19 2.4 26.4%
anything that can help
prevent an injury or Matthew Richardson (Richmond)
minimise the severity
of an injury has the The veteran ‘markologist’ (he took the most marks in
potential to prolong a the AFL last year) still occupies a prime position
playing career. despite missing the past two games with injury.
It’s no wonder regular Cont marks Average % of total marks
taping of players is seen 19 3.2 31.7%
as both a necessity and an
invaluable investment. Brendan Fevola (Carlton)
Dr Jodi Richardson completed Although the Blues match-winner had endured
her PhD at Monash University,
investigating hamstring muscle a quiet fortnight, he has repeatedly proven his
training and its application to ability to monster opponents with his considerable
hamstring injury prevention
in Australian Football. She strength and mark at the last moment.
specialises in communicating
the science of sport. Cont marks Average % of total marks
17 2.1 34%
AFL Record visit aflrecord.com.au 19