An ace wrap puts gentle pressure on the tissue around an injury. The ace wrap also gives support to the injured area. Ace wrap should be an essential part of you for you emergency supply kits. When it comes to thinking about what medical supplies you should have in a first aid kit the ace wrap is always be on the list. Emergency disaster preparedness is a major key for your survival. Just imagine if you were in an earthquake and you didn’t have an ace wrap in your earthquake preparedness kit and you had a broken leg or arm from falling debris. Following are other reasons you may need an ace wrap as part of your survival kit.
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- To help reduce swelling of an injured area of the body.
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- To hold wound bandages in place.
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- To wrap around an arm or leg splint during healing.
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- To improve blood flow to a limb like an arm or leg.
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- To hold cold or hot packs in place on a body part, such as an arm.
How is the ace wrap used?
Usually your health caregiver will show you how to wrap the bandage. The following example may help you learn how to wrap a bandage around an ankle. These directions may be used to wrap the bandage around your hand, wrist, elbow, or knee.
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- Hold the rolled bandage with one hand and with the other hand put the loose end on top of the foot.
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- While holding the loose end, wrap the bandage twice around the foot. Be sure to overlap the ace wrap.
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- After the foot has been wrapped twice, move your hand to the heel.
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- Wrap the bandage moving toward the ankle. The bandage should be wrapped in a spiral way like making a figure 8.
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- Leave the heel uncovered.
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- Cross the bandage over the foot, moving upward, and pass it behind the ankle.
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- Move the bandage down and cross it over the top of the foot.
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- Wrap the bandage under the foot to complete the 8 figure. Repeat this one more time.
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- Pass the bandage around your calf and start wrapping it toward the knee.
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- Stop wrapping below the knee. You don’t need to start coming down again.
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- The end of the bandage can be fastened with tape or metal clips.
