How to Tape Your Arches for Flat Feet

Why Tape Your Arches for Flat Feet?

Before we dive into some of the different methods that you can use for taping your arches, we need to take a closer look at some of the reasons why you would consider taping them in the first place. Does taping the arches actually help with overpronation and other issues with the foot, or is there really any point in doing it in the first place?

When you choose to tape the foot, you will wear a special type of tape around the arches and the ankle. This may seem a little silly to do, but it will really provide some of the support that the arches of the foot need, stabilizing the plantar fascia and the arch, and providing you with more stability and help when you want to walk around during the day.

When the arch starts to flatten out and fall, you may find that some of the stability in the feet will go down. This can take away your balance and make it harder to walk around and get things done. When you decide to tape up the feet, you will be able to regain that stability and feel better, providing some of the support that your feet need.

Taping Techniques for Flat Feet

There are two types of tapes that you can choose to use when you want to work on your flat feet for overpronation. You can choose to go with athletic tape or kinesiology tape. There are some differences between the two types of tape and how you are able to utilize them. Let’s dive in and see what the similarities and differences are and how you can use them for your needs.

Athletic Tape is one of the Flat Foot Treatments

First, we will look at how to tape your arch for flat feet with the use of athletic tape. This is going to be a thick, non-elastic tape that is good for providing compression and supporting the joints. It will provide a good deal of rigid support, which can be nice when you are looking to play sports or need to be on the move most of the time.

Many choose to work with athletic tape to help support their feet. To apply the athletic tape, you will be able to do the following steps:

• Make sure that you have all of the materials and tools that you need before you get started. You will need a 1-inch roll of tape, a 3-inch roll, and a pair of scissors.
• Begin by tapping the anchor strap. You will need the one-inch tape and this will go around the edge of the foot. Start right before the base of your big toe, wrap around the heel, and continue around to the base of the pinky.
• Place the cross straps on the sole, but this time you need the three-inch tape. You can begin right below the ball of the foot. You can then place all of the additional cross straps down the foot, overlapping 50% and working along the arch.
• The last piece of the one-inch tape will go right above the original anchor strap. The goal is to get it to cover up the ends of the cross strap.

As you do this, you may find that you would like a bit more compression on that part of the foot. If this is true for you, just take an additional piece of tape and wrap it over the top of the foot, going just behind the toes.

One of the Techniques for Flat Feet is Kinesiology Tape.

In addition to the athletic tape that we talked about above, you can choose to go with kinesiology tape to help with the overpronation. This tape is going to be used for many of the same purposes as athletic tape, but it does have some more benefits that can make it a good choice as well.

For example, it is made out of an elastic material, which helps you to stretch it over the different muscle groups as needed. The porous surface will help to reduce the buildup of sweat, which can make it better if you need to wear it all day long or if you have some high-intensity activities to enjoy.

Some of the steps that you can use to apply this tape include:

• Make sure that the foot is dry and clean so that the tape will stick to it for longer. the only thing that you need for this tape is the tape itself. Pick out ones with two-inch thicknesses for the best results.
• You can attach the end of one of these strips to the ball of the foot with 0% stretch. You can apply 80% stretch so that it goes across the length of the foot, all the way to the heel. Attach the rest of it along the back of the heel, using the 0% stretch.
• Attach the second piece of tape right above the ankle bone. You will want to apply 80% stretch and wrap around the arch of the foot, going back up to the other side of the ankle too.
• Apply some friction to the tape to make it stick better.  You can add another strip of tape to the arch and the ankle, overlapping the other strips. You can leave the tape for up to 48 hours.

For those who would like to tape up the foot, but are worried that it is going to be too rigid and hard to move around, this tape is going to be the best. The elasticity will make a difference and allows you to have the support you need, without having to worry about it being too tight or limiting your mobility.

The Benefits of Taping

While it may seem a bit strange to tape your feet, you may find that there are a number of benefits to choosing this method for your needs. Taping will sometimes provide you with a wide range of benefits, especially if you are dealing with overpronation of the foot. Some of the benefits that you can enjoy when it comes to taping your flat feet include:

• Can help boost your athletic performance because you are able to keep the feet in place.
• Can be a great tool to prevent injuries along the way.
• Is effective at improving circulation throughout the foot.
• Provides pain relief from a lot of different conditions of the foot when it comes to the heel and the arches.
• Can stabilize the healing ligaments.

If you are dealing with pain due to flat arches and overpronation, then it is a good idea to consider whether taping, using some of the methods we talked about above, is the right option for you.

Protecting Your Feet from Over-Pronation

Taping can be a great option to help your feet feel comfortable when you are dealing with problems of overpronation. If you are dealing with a lot of foot pain or numbness because there isn’t enough circulation throughout the body, then it is time to consider whether one of the taping techniques above will be able to keep the feet safe.

At Urthotics, we are here to provide you with some of the best solutions to protect your feet and keep them working for a long time to come. We have worked with many patients throughout the years and are proud to offer some of the best in custom orthotics for you to choose from. Trust us to help you order custom orthotics online and see the best results. Take our free analysis today to help determine what type of orthotics will be best for you!