Underwrap Bandages
Underwrap or Pre-Wrap is a lightweight foam wrap designed to protect the skin from tape adhesives during taping techniques using sports tapes. This light veil like foam film tape, is used to protect the skin from the glue used in zinc oxide style tapes. It is simply wrapped around the area to be taped and the tape applied over it.
What is underwrap?
It is a thin film of foam primarily to protect sensitive skin from the adhesive glues commonly used on sports tapes.
How to choose under-wrap?
While Mueller M Wrap is possible the most commonly used foam Pre-wrap, in the McConnell Taping Technique to treat the pain of patella tracking Hypafix or Fixomull tends to be used to protect the knee.
M-Wrap is available in a multitude of colours and has been used in the US as a hair accessory.
How to use?
Most commonly seen when using ankle tape; the ankle is enveloped with Mueller M Wrap which is so thin it conforms well with the contours of the ankle joint, sticking lightly to itself to protect the ankle from the adhesives on zinc oxide tape.
Some physios and sports therapists prefer applying sports tapes directly to to the skin, but Underwrap is still widely used, and is of particular importance in athletes with skin sensitivities, or wounds.
Fixation tapes tend to be used on areas which are more difficult to envelop such as the knee and shoulder.