In sports medicine, prophylactic taping (taping joints before activity to prevent injury or re-injury) is fairly common. Athletes in basketball, volleyball, soccer, and football often step onto the court or field with ankles, wrists, or fingers taped. But does it actually prevent injury?

What the Research Says

Ankle Injuries:
Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries in high school sports. Research consistently shows that ankle taping can reduce the risk of sprains, especially for athletes with a history of previous injury.

• McGuine et al., 2011 (American Journal of Sports Medicine) found that high school basketball players who wore either ankle tape or lace-up braces had a significantly lower incidence of ankle sprains, with the greatest benefit seen in athletes who had previously sprained their ankles.
• Taping’s effectiveness decreases over time as the tape stretches and loses support during play, but it still provides meaningful short-term stability.
  

Knee Injuries:
To prevent major ligament injuries, such as ACL tears, prophylactic knee taping or bracing has not consistently shown benefits in healthy athletes (Beynnon et al., 2002). Taping for conditions like patellofemoral pain is more about managing symptoms or pain rather than preventing first-time injury.

Other Joints:
Evidence for taping the thumb, wrist, or fingers is limited. While some athletes in high-impact sports find it beneficial for support, most recommendations for these joints come from tradition and preference rather than strong research data.

What about Spatting in Football?

In football, “spatting” refers to taping over the shoe and ankle for additional support and is often seen at the collegiate and professional levels. While spatting can help stabilize the ankle similarly to traditional taping, it’s not as effective as lace-up braces for long-term support and is less cost-efficient. In high school athletics, spatting is generally discouraged by athletic trainers. This is because:

• It can be expensive and time-consuming.
• It can impede access to the foot/ankle should an injury occur. 
• Braces are reusable and provide more consistent, longer lasting support throughout a game.

The Bottom Line

Prophylactic taping is most effective for athletes with a history of injury, especially ankle sprains, who participate in high-risk sports. For primary prevention in healthy athletes, the benefits are less clear, and reusable braces may be a better option. Taping should always be performed by a trained professional to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Want to know more? Check out these articles:

Kaminski TW, et al. National Athletic Trainers’ Association Position Statement: Conservative Management and Prevention of Ankle Sprains in Athletes. J Athl Train. 2013;48(4):528–545.

McGuine TA, Brooks A, Hetzel S. The Effect of Lace-up Ankle Braces on Injury Rates in High School Basketball Players. Am J Sports Med. 2011;39(9):1840-1848.

Beynnon BD, et al. The Effect of Prophylactic Knee Bracing on Knee Joint Displacement and Injury Rates in High School Football Players. Am J Sports Med. 2002;30(6): 810-817.