Submitted by Tumwater Chiropractic Center
Have you seen all the weird colored tape athletes are wearing these days? Most likely it is one form or another of a special material called- kinesiology tape. From black, to pink, to camouflage; kinesiology tape comes in all shapes and colors, and has become an important tool in the areas of athletic performance and injury rehabilitation.
But what exactly is kinesiology tape?
Kinesiology taping is a method of therapeutic taping that uses a special latex-free elastic tape. The key difference between kinesiology tape and normal athletic tape is the elasticity and stretch that kinesiology tape offers. Because of this elasticity it can be applied in ways that will stretch and actually elevate the skin slightly.
But what does kinesiology tape really do?
The 4 major effects that kinesiology tape are:
- Correcting muscle function
- Improving blood and lymph circulation
- Correcting joint movement
- Relieving pain
Because of the multiple effects kinesiology tape has, it can be customized and used for a wide variety of conditions. The most common use is to decrease pain, which it does by lightly elevating the skin and decreasing pressure on the painful nerves around an injured area. It is also commonly used to help support injured muscles and increase their endurance and stamina while healing. Kinesiology tape is also an effective treatment for decreasing persistent swelling, bruising, or lymphedema.
There are several different brands of kinesiology tape (RockTape, Kinesio Tape, Spidertech Tape), and some come with pre-cut strips to be used on certain body parts (i.e. knees, shoulders, neck). The tape can be purchased online (of course) and thru local independent distributors. However, because there are so many different ways to apply and use the tape most people get better results if they take a course on kinesiology taping or get instruction from a trained professional on how to tape for their specific issue.
So, the next time you’re watching the Olympics, the NFL, or even your local neighborhood 5k, now you will know what all those crazy tape jobs are all about. And if you ever have muscle or joint pain, persistent swelling, or weakness you now have one more tool at your disposal to help keep you performing your best!
Kinesiotape demonstration video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CN0YalZIb4
