NATA-BOC Taping, Bracing, and Protective Equipment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The heel lock maneuver in ankle taping is primarily designed to control which motion?
- Excessive plantarflexion
- Excessive dorsiflexion
- Excessive inversion and eversion of the calcaneus (Correct answer)
- Internal tibial rotation
Correct answer: Excessive inversion and eversion of the calcaneus
Heel locks anchor the calcaneus and restrict excessive inversion and eversion, adding a critical layer of stability to the ankle tape job.
Question 2: A functional knee brace is primarily indicated for which situation?
- Preventing initial ACL tears in healthy football players
- Providing stability for athletes with existing ligament laxity or deficiency (Correct answer)
- Reducing patellofemoral compression during running
- Restricting knee flexion to 90 degrees after surgery
Correct answer: Providing stability for athletes with existing ligament laxity or deficiency
Functional braces are designed to compensate for existing ligamentous instability in athletes who want to return to sport with an already damaged knee.
Question 3: A custom thermoplastic splint is preferred over a prefabricated commercial splint primarily when:
- The injury requires immediate cooling with an ice pack
- The injury requires a precise anatomical fit unique to the patient (Correct answer)
- Cost is the primary limiting factor in treatment
- The injury will resolve within 24 to 48 hours
Correct answer: The injury requires a precise anatomical fit unique to the patient
Custom thermoplastic splints are molded directly to the patient's specific anatomy, providing precise fit and immobilization that prefabricated options cannot replicate.
Question 4: When taping for turf toe (first metatarsophalangeal joint sprain), the tape strips are most critically positioned to:
- Wrap in a figure-8 around the hallux and forefoot
- Buddy tape the great toe to the second toe
- Apply plantar strips across the ball of the foot to restrict great toe extension (Correct answer)
- Apply dorsal strips to restrict great toe flexion
Correct answer: Apply plantar strips across the ball of the foot to restrict great toe extension
Plantar strips applied across the plantar surface of the forefoot limit hyperextension of the first MTP joint, directly addressing the mechanism of turf toe injury.
Question 5: What is the primary contraindication for applying circumferential tape or bandaging around a limb?
- The athlete has a latex sensitivity
- Acute inflammation is present at the site
- Circulation distal to the application site is compromised (Correct answer)
- The athlete has recently perspired heavily
Correct answer: Circulation distal to the application site is compromised
Applying circumferential tape when distal circulation is already compromised can further restrict blood flow, leading to ischemia and serious complications.
Question 6: Which taping approach is most commonly used to provide support for a Grade I acromioclavicular (AC) joint sprain?
- Figure-8 shoulder harness that restricts all glenohumeral motion
- Taping with downward force on the distal clavicle to approximate the joint surfaces (Correct answer)
- Posterior capsule taping to restrict internal rotation
- Elastic sling and swathe technique
Correct answer: Taping with downward force on the distal clavicle to approximate the joint surfaces
AC joint taping applies downward pressure on the distal clavicle to approximate the AC joint surfaces and reduce the superior displacement that occurs with a sprain.
Question 7: A donut pad is used in protective equipment primarily to:
- Provide circumferential compression to reduce edema
- Protect a sensitive area by redirecting pressure away from it (Correct answer)
- Immobilize a joint in a functional position
- Absorb and distribute impact forces across a broad surface
Correct answer: Protect a sensitive area by redirecting pressure away from it
A donut pad has a central void that relieves contact pressure on a painful or sensitive area while the surrounding foam transfers contact forces to adjacent healthy tissue.
