TYPES OF BANDAGING

PICTURE DEFINITION PROCEDURE

CIRCULAR TURNS The bandage is applied in a series of -With the roll on the inner aspect,
overlapping circular turns. This technique is unroll the bandage either toward you
used in minor wounds. or laterally, holding the loose end until
it is secured by the first circle of the
bandage.

-Two or three turns may be needed to

cover an area adequately. Hold the
bandage in place with tape or a clip.

SPIRAL TURNS To covers by wrapping with such material. -If the skin is broken a sterile pad or
Bandages may be used to stop the flow of several thicknesses of sterile gauze
blood, absorb drainage, cushion the injured should be placed over the wound
area, provide a safeguard against before tape or bandaging material is
contamination, hold a medicated dressing applied over the pad to hold it in
in place, hold a splint in position, or place. Adhesive tape is never applied
otherwise immobilize an injured part of the directly on a wound.
body to prevent further injury and to -The bandage should not be made so
facilitate healing. tight that it interferes with circulation.
A pressure bandage should be
applied only for the purpose of
arresting hemorrhage.
- A bandage does not have to look
good to be effective; in an emergency,
that the bandage serves its purpose is
more important than its appearance.

REVERSE SPIRAL A technique of twisting, in its long axis, a -Expose the limb and check the
roller bandage on itself at intervals during circulation at a point below the point of
application to make it fit more uniformly. injury, such as the wrist or foot.
These reverse folds may be necessary - Position the body part to be
every turn or less often, depending on the bandaged in a normal resting position
contour of the part being bandaged. (position of function). The body part
should be as clean and dry as
possible.
- Lay the end of the bandage on the
bottom of the limb to be wrapped and
at an angle so one corner (apex) of
the bandage will not be covered when
the bandage is brought around the
limb
ELBOW FIGURE “8” The wrists are wrapped by circling the wrist •Bring the roller bandage up
bone a few times with the tape, in a diagonally and across the joint (wrist).
direction away from the thumb that begins •Wrap the roller bandage around the
on the top of the arm. Then, the bandage is limb above the joint (circular wrap).
secured in the correct direction to wrap •Bring the roller bandage down across
across the palm and around the thumb. At the joint diagonally so that it crosses
the heel of the hand the tape wraps back the upward portion of the figure-eight
around to a crossing point. It is then wrap
wrapped up and down the top and bottom •Take the roll behind the body part
of the figure eight until uniformly secure. (fingers) and up diagonally across the
joint again. Overlap two-thirds of the
previous upward wrap.
•Take the roll behind the body part
(wrist area) and down again
diagonally, overlapping the previous
downward wrap.
•Continue alternate upward and
downward diagonal wraps until the
joint is sufficiently supported.
•Apply a circular wrap above the joint.
•Tape, clip, or tie the end of the
bandage

SPRAIN ANKLE A compression wrap is used to prevent •Roll up the elastic bandage if it isn't
swelling, which can help your ankle feel already rolled up. Hold your ankle at
better. It does not support the ankle or about a 90-degree angle. Start where
prevent it from moving, so it does not your toes meet the body of your foot.
protect it except by reminding you to be Hold the loose end of the bandage at
careful of your ankle. the side of your foot. Wrap the
bandage around the ball of your foot
once, keeping it somewhat taut with a
light pull.
•After this, slowly start circling your
way around the arch of the foot. Pull
the bandage diagonally from the
bottom of the toes across the feet top
and circle it around the ankle. Now
bring the bandage diagonally across
the top of the foot and under the arch
in a figure-eight pattern.
• When you get to the ankle
bone, wrap the bandage around the
felt piece so it stays in place under the
ankle bone. Continue around the
ankle and foot in a figure eight,
moving toward the heel on the bottom
and toward the calf at the top of the
eight.
•The wrap should cover the entire foot
and end about 7 centimeters above
 the ankle. Most compression wraps
are self-fastening or come with clip
fasteners. If not, use tape to secure
the end. The wrap should be snug but
should not cut off circulation to the
foot.

HAND BANDAGE A hand fracture occurs when you break one 1. If you are treating a hand wound or
or more of the bones in your hand. The burn, rinse the affected area and
most common hand fracture is a boxer’s apply a sterile gauze dressing before
fracture, which occurs when you break one wrapping your hand in a bandage.
of the bones at the base of your knuckles, 2. Open the roller bandage, and start
where the fingers meet the hand. with the end of the roll at the inside of
your wrist.
3. Wrap the bandage twice around
your wrist. The material should be flat
against the wrist.
4. From the inside of your wrist, pull
the bandage diagonally across the top
of your hand. The roll should now be
beside your pinky finger.
5. Pull the bandage around your pinky
finger and under the fingers to your
pointer finger. Then pull it around the
pointer finger and down diagonally
across the top of your hand to the
outside of your wrist.
6. From here, wrap the bandage
around the wrist once more. It should
be where you started wrapping at the
inside of your wrist.
7. Repeat steps 4 to 6, creating a
figure eight-like bandage around the
hand and fingers. With each new
figure eight, you should leave a half
an inch of the previous layer visible.
The upper parts of the fingers should
be visible.
8. Once you have covered the whole
hand with the bandage, secure it with
a safety pin or clip.

SCULP INJURY Never wrap a bandage too tightly. You 1. After putting on your protective
want to keep bleeding in check and protect gloves, stopping any bleeding, and
the wound, but you don't want to stop cleaning the wound, folds a large
circulation or cause irritating chafing! If the bandanna-sized cloth into a triangle.
wound is on an arm or leg, check 2. Place the bandage on the injured
circulation by making sure fingers or toes person's head, with the tip at the back.
stay warm and pink. If they become cold or 3. Bring the two ends across the head,
blue, it's a sign there's a circulation just above the ears and cross them in
problem. Periodically check the patient's back.
 pulse just to make sure everything's okay. 4. Bring the two ends back to the
center of the forehead. Tie ends
together.
5. Tuck hem of bandage snugly under
wrap.

EAR, CHEEK AND JAW INJURY If a wound only affects the forehead, put a 1. Place the long, thick bandage under
square of sterile gauze pad over the the chin.
wound. Then wrap a sterile gauze bandage 2. Pull the ends up over the ears and
around the head, “sweatband” style. Circle cheeks, covering the treated wound.
the head at least three times to keep the 3. Cross the ends on one side, just
dressing underneath in place. Cut and use above the ear.
adhesive tape to attach the ends, or tie 4. Wrap the two ends in the opposite
them with a firm knot. You can also use a direction, making a “cross” by
large piece of cloth, wrapping it several encircling the forehead and back of
times around the head. Tie the ends in the head.
place above the eyes in the middle of the 5. Tie ends where the “cross” meets.
forehead.

CHEST INJURY Chest/Abdomen bandage dressing is -Hold and remove the paper from
typically used to slow heavy bleeding and adhesive strips
to secure chest injuries. “Surgiwear” have -Apply the adhesive strips before the
made this improvised chest bandage which wound
can be used by injured soldier himself and -Unroll the dressing bandage around
that too with just one hand. After a lot of the wound
research and continuous development, -Anchor the end by pressing the end
Surgiwear have innovated one of world’s
best emergency bandage dressing.

ARM ELBOW INJURY If you suspect an elbow injury it will usually 1. Apply a full circular piece of
be due to the straining of the tendons on Elastoplast Sport Elastowrap
the either the outside or inside of the elbow Adhesive Underwrap around the
(nicknamed ‘tennis’ or ‘golfer’s’ elbow upper forearm finishing about 3cm
respectively), or a more serious dislocation from the elbow joint.
or fracture in the elbow joint. 2. Anchor a piece of 3.8cm Elastoplast
sport tape on top of the Elastowrap on
the little finger side of your arm. Push
the rigid tape across and over the
thumb side of your arm and around
back towards the little finger side.
3. Create a ‘pleating’ effect when you
get back to the beginning, cut the
piece of tape and secure it.

Compression bandages are used to apply 1. Ensure you wrap your bandage
pressure to a specific area or injury. They above and below the joint.
help minimize swelling by keeping fluids 2. Begin your wrap at the lower part of
from gathering at the injury site. your forearm.
Compression can also be applied through 3. Overlap each layer of the bandage
the use of compression sleeves, but these by about 50 percent.
 WRIST INJURY 4. Make figure-eight patterns around
are usually used for long term pain or blood the joint to create stability.
circulation management. 5. Use the Velcro or fastener at the
end to stabilize your wrap.

HAND HORIZONTAL INJURY He Close Palm Bandage application is 1. Place the center of the bandage
ideal when they would on the palm is (apex area) over the wrist of the
horizontal by nature. By closing the hand, injured hand
they will also be closed. Please be advised 2. Locate the side of the bandage
that the illustration below only shows the where the thumb is and bring it away
bandaging application. Remember that a from the patient heading towards the
dressing must be placed over they would knuckles
before the bandage is applied. 3. Bring the bandage up to cover the
knuckles
4. As you notice the thumb side of the
bandage is already covering the
knuckles. At this juncture leave the
bandage in that position.
5. Now grab the other end of the
bandage (little finger side) and cover
the expose portion of the hand on the
same side.
6. Make sure that there is no expose
portion of the hand once you bring the
bandage and cover the side of the
hand
7. Bring the little finger side of the
bandage toward the back of the hand
and move it toward the other side of
the hand (thumb side)
8. Once you reach the other side of
the hand, cover the remaining expose
portion of the hand on the thumb side
(figure 8), but do not include the
thumb
9. The thumb is exposed so that you
can continue to assess the circulation.
10. Once you have covered both
sides, you will now have both points of
the bandage forming a V towards your
patient
11. Just cross the points of the
bandage on the wrist until they
become short and from there bring the
points together by making a square
 knot.

ANKLE INJURY A compression wrap is used to prevent 1. Roll up the elastic bandage if it isn't
swelling, which can help your ankle feel already rolled up. Hold your ankle at
better. It does not support the ankle or about a 90-degree angle. Start where
prevent it from moving, so it does not your toes meet the body of your foot.
protect it except by reminding you to be Hold the loose end of the bandage at
careful of your ankle. the side of your foot. Wrap the
bandage around the ball of your foot
once, keeping it somewhat taut with a
light pull.
2. After this, slowly start circling your
way around the arch of the foot. Pull
the bandage diagonally from the
bottom of the toes across the feet top
and circle it around the ankle. Now
bring the bandage diagonally across
the top of the foot and under the arch
in a figure-eight pattern.
3. When you get to the ankle bone,
wrap the bandage around the felt
piece so it stays in place under the
ankle bone. Continue around the
ankle and foot in a figure eight,
moving toward the heel on the bottom
and toward the calf at the top of the
eight.
4. The wrap should cover the entire
foot and end about 7 centimetres
above the ankle. Most compression
wraps are self-fastening or come with
clip fasteners. If not, use tape to
secure the end. The wrap should be
snug but should not cut off circulation
to the foot.