Preface

The fourth edition of Orthopedic Taping, Wrapping, Bracing, & Padding continues the comprehensive presentation of taping, wrapping, bracing, and padding techniques. As the educational content of programs and profession of athletic training continue to evolve, updates and revisions were made throughout the text to provide the reader, instructor, and clinician a framework for clinical decision-making in the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and conditions. New clinically relevant research from the literature focusing on taping, wrapping, bracing, and padding techniques was incorporated into evidence summary boxes to provide the best available evidence for technique efficacy. New brace designs and steps of application replaced old techniques to reflect current clinical practice. Revisions to NCAA and NFHS mandatory protective equipment and standards and testing procedures highlight changes made among agencies and organizations to enhance protection for wearers from injury. Updated web references and further reading sections provide additional resources for the reader, instructor, and clinician.

The overall goal of Orthopedic Taping, Wrapping, Bracing, & Padding is to facilitate learning of the knowledge, skills, and clinical abilities required to effectively tape, wrap, brace, and pad patients. The book is intended for professional athletic training students, practicing athletic trainers, and other health care professionals responsible for technique application. Among students, the text is designed to first be used in the didactic setting, then taken to the clinical setting for practice and skill development. The all-inclusive, step-by-step technique focus of the text requires that students possess a general knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics, injury evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation. This general knowledge can be obtained through either prerequisite or concurrent courses in an Athletic Training program. Several steps in the process of evidence-based practice require research knowledge and skills; as such, students may require guidance from instructors and preceptors at times. The material in the text covers the Board of Certification’s Practice Analysis and the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education Curricular Content Standards related to taping, wrapping, bracing, and padding. Among practicing athletic trainers and other health care professionals, the text can serve as a practical resource guide for evidence-based practice.

While much of the fourth edition remains the same as the third, key revisions, updates, and additions have been made to support the overall goal of the text. Chapter 1 introduces tapes, wraps, braces, and pads and includes types, objectives, and recommendations for application. A discussion on evidence-based medicine and evidence-based practice presents an overview and example of the five step process for implementation of tapes, wraps, braces, and pads into clinical practice. Chapter 2 provides information on current and long-range needs and structural considerations of the application area. Chapter 3 includes the foot and toes; Chapter 4, the ankle; Chapter 5, the lower leg; Chapter 6, the knee; Chapter 7, the thigh, hip, and pelvis; Chapter 8, the shoulder and upper arm; Chapter 9, the elbow and forearm; Chapter 10, the wrist; Chapter 11, the hand, fingers, and thumb; and Chapter 12, the thorax, abdomen, and spine. These chapters begin with a general review of injuries and conditions that are common to the body region(s). Next, the chapters present step-by-step taping, wrapping, bracing, and padding techniques used in the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of these injuries and conditions. Chapter 13 discusses liability issues, standards and testing, and construction and application of NCAA and NFHS mandatory and standard equipment and padding.

Revised and expanded pedagogical features are used throughout the text to enhance the material to assist the reader in developing the knowledge, skills, and clinical abilities to implement evidence-based medicine into practice.

Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 contain a brief discussion of common injuries and conditions for the particular body region. This feature allows readers to further develop an understanding of the purpose of the technique for each injury and condition.

Color photography in each chapter plays an integral role in the presentation and learning of the techniques. The photographs are arranged to provide the reader with visual representation of the specific instructions for each technique step. Color line drawings illustrate the basic anatomy of each body region to assist the reader in developing an understanding of the purpose and effect of each technique on bone and soft tissue. Pathophysiology line drawings and diagnostic imaging and injury photographs provide the reader with realistic and actual depictions of injuries and conditions to assist with transferring knowledge, skills, and abilities from the didactic setting to clinical practice.

Anatomical structures and positions, injuries and conditions, and important terms are boldfaced to assist readers in recognizing key words.

Helpful hints, identified by the icon below, provide quick tips and other “tricks of the trade” to assist in technique application.

Revised evidence summary boxes provide the available evidence from the literature on the efficacy of the techniques. The evidence can be integrated with student, instructor, and health care professional expertise and patient goals and values for the implementation of evidence-based practice.

IF/THEN boxes guide the student in choosing the most appropriate technique in a given situation.

Details boxes offer additional information on technique origin, construction, and application.

Clinical Application boxes are located throughout each chapter to allow the reader the opportunity to critically synthesize technique use and application. Answers to the questions are provided at FADavis.com. Instructors and preceptors can facilitate additional discussions with students to further expand the answers and incorporate evidence-based practice with actual clinical situations.

Evidence-based practice activities in each chapter present a clinical case within an actual injury prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation protocol to allow the reader the opportunity to select techniques using the five progressive steps of evidence-based practice. Instructors and preceptors can perform assessments of student performance with each step.

The wrap-up summarizes the most important content of each chapter.

Revised and updated web references provide resources for supplemental information on the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and conditions, online journals, surgical procedures, photographs, and other educational materials.

Revised further reading provides additional information for in-depth examination of selected topics.

Each chapter contains a list of cited references to give both the reader and instructor the opportunity to locate additional information and evidence.

Key words from each chapter are located at the end of the text.

The index allows for cross-referencing to locate specific techniques and information within the chapters.

A Kinesio^® Taping appendix presents an overview of the technique, physiological effects, strip types, general application instructions, and contraindications and precautions. Color photographs provide step-by-step instructions for seven Kinesio Taping techniques for upper and lower extremity injuries and conditions. An updated evidence summary provides the best available evidence from the literature on the effectiveness of the techniques.

Online resources are available to instructors and students at FADavis.com.

• FADavis.com resources, identified by the icon , are located throughout the chapters and contain additional taping, wrapping, bracing, and padding techniques with complete steps for application. A list of each chapter’s techniques is located following the chapter Wrap-Up.

• Revised PowerPoint presentations are available for each chapter.

• A video containing 21 common taping, wrapping, bracing, and padding techniques is included. Individual techniques contained in the video are identified by the icon to the right throughout the chapters.

• The updated Instructor’s Guide contains an image bank, revised test bank, class and clinical activities, syllabus, and lecture notes.

• Revised student review questions are available for each chapter.

I wrote this text to provide athletic training students and health care professionals multiple taping, wrapping, bracing, and padding techniques and alternatives. The best available research evidence, skill and experience levels of health care professionals, patient goals, values, injuries, and conditions, material availability, and facility budgets and sizes require a diverse set of strategies for the implementation of evidence-based medicine in the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients. I hope that after athletic training students and health care professionals have had the opportunity to read the text, both groups will develop the necessary knowledge, skills, and clinical abilities to effectively use the techniques in the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and conditions among patients. I would appreciate any ideas or suggestions for the improvement of this text in future editions. Please feel free to contact me with your suggestions through my publisher, F. A. Davis Company, or directly.