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Archive for the ‘Kinesio Tape (Brand)’ Category
Since last summer’s Beijing Olympics, more and more professional athletes have been spotted wearing kinesiology tape. In today’s semifinal match at the US Open, Novak Djokovic, #4 player in the world, wore kinesiology tape on his left knee. Other prominent athletes who have worn kinesiology tape include cyclist Lance Armstrong and his entire US Postal team, soccer player David Beckham, and tennis players Serena Williams, Robby Ginepri and Justine Henin. The athlete responsible for much of the current kinesiology taping craze is beach volleyball player, Kerri Walsh, who displayed it prominently on her shoulder during the Beijing Olympic Games, at which she won Gold with partner, Misty May Traynor.
What is it that makes kinesiology tape so popular with athletes? Let’s count down the top 10 reasons:
10. It’s lightweight and portable – easy to keep in a sports bag for last-minute applications.
9. It’s inexpensive (< $10 per application).
8. Once applied, it stays on for up to 5 days.
8. It’s so thin and stretchy that it’s virtually undetectable once it’s been applied.
7. It provides structural support without restricting range of motion.
6. It begins to relieve pain and reduce inflammation within minutes of being applied.
5. It enhances performances via increased activation in muscles that have “shut down” due to pain or injury.
4. It stays on through sweating, showering and even swimming.
3. It can be applied on any part of the body that is experiencing pain or inflammation.
2. The new pre-cut kinesiology tape applications don’t require any specialized training to apply.
1. It comes in 4 colors and looks totally cool!
For competitive athletes, kinesiology tape is becoming the “go to” therapy product for all of their aches, pains and injuries.
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A few weeks ago, one of the most grueling events in all of sports came to its annual conclusion. The Tour de France spans the month of July and pits the world’s best cyclists in a test of speed and endurance. A typical day can mean 200 kilometers in the saddle, so it’s no surprise that aches, pains and injuries plague riders throughout the race’s three-week duration.
Lance Armstrong, a seven-time winner of the tour, has written several times about the benefits of Kinesio Tape for sports injuries. In his book, “Every Second Counts,” Armstrong described, ”a special hot-pink athletic tape that came from Japan and seemed to have magical powers.”
Armstrong added, “Sometimes we’d be so wrapped up in hot-pink tape that we’d look like dolls, a bunch of broken dolls. But the tape worked, so we kept it, because it could fix things.”
One of the most important features of Kinesio Tape for the US Postal Team was that it provided them with support and stability without restricting their range of motion – crucial prerequisites for any competitive athletes.
Why Athletic Trainers Use Kinesiology Tape
posted by Tape Expert @ 5:28 PM
Thursday, August 27, 2009
“Kinesio® Taping is very versatile, and the tape supports the injury while maintaining full range of motion and comfort. The fact that you use less tape than traditional methods and that you don’t have to re-apply the tape (as frequently) makes this tape a great choice for treating chronic injuries.”
-Jerri Hestwood, ATC
Athletes are a unique breed. They take a lickin’ but want to keep on kickin’ … or running … or jumping … or whatever other activities are involved in the pursuit of their sports. Deciding whether to train through an athletic injury is one of those “six of one, half dozen of the other” propositions. If an athlete stops training and competing while an injury heals, they will face the loss of conditioning, technique and competitive edge that accompanies inactivity. And, of course, for many professional athletes, they also face a loss of income while they recover! On the reverse side, an athlete who chooses to continue training and competing while injured faces the possibility of exacerbating the injury – or, sometimes, developing additional injuries in muscles and joints that overcompensate for the injured area.
Sports tape has always been a mainstay in the toolkit of every athletic trainer. It has been used for decades to support and/or immobilize injured areas so athletes can continue their sport while injured. The downside of traditional athletic tape, however, is that it DOES virtually immobilize the taped part of the body. This may lead to poor technique that can affect performance, as well as contribute to injuries due to inefficient movement patterns.
One of the most exciting new tools used by athletic trainers today is kinesiology tape. Kinesiology tape for sports injuries is a dream come true for both the trainer and the injured athlete. On the trainer’s side, a single application can be worn 3-5 days, providing therapeutic benefits round-the-clock. It enhances and prolongs the benefits of any other type of therapy used, and because it literally goes home with the athlete, the trainer can relax, knowing his work is continuing in his/her absence.
From the athlete’s perspective, kinesiology taping applications are lightweight and stretchy, making them totally comfortable to wear. The acrylic adhesive is non-allergenic, preventing the tape rashes and burns that are common with other types of sports tape. In addition, the combination of the breathable 100% cotton tape and the wave pattern of the adhesive backing make kinesiology tape extremely water resistant. Athletes can sweat, swim or shower without worrying about having to remove and reapply their tape – or having it come off in the water.
The biggest advantages, however, are the physical benefits of kinesiology taping – rapid relief of pain and swelling, support of injured muscles with no restriction of range of movement, and enhanced activation of muscles. A dream come true for both athletic trainers and injured athletes!
“I just wanted to write and tell you how pleased I am with the results we are receiving from Kinesio®Tape… As I continue to learn and use the techniques of Kinesio® Taping, I am certain that the results will continue to be positive.”
-Rick Griffin, Head Athletic Trainer, Seattle Mariners
The following video shows chiropractor, Dr. Scott Swanson, demonstrating the proper technique for applying Kinesio Tape to someone with tennis elbow. This application technique is designed to increase circulation to the overused extensor muscles of the forearm, helping to reduce inflammation. It also reduces the activation signals to these muscles, allowing them to relax and recover from the lateral epicondylitis condition.
This is the second in a series of articles on kinesiology taping for tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis.
Kinesiology taping is an exciting new development in the treatment and management of tennis elbow or lateral eipcondylitis. This thin, lightweight, stretchy tape can be worn 24/7 for several days, providing round the clock therapy and relief for stubborn cases of elbow pain.
Different taping techniques can be used, depending on the desired outcome. For example, to reduce acute inflammation and help overused muscle relax, the tape is applied from the insertion (wrist end) toward the origin (elbow end). Both the muscle and the tape are stretched during application to maximally enhance circulation and take pressure off the inflamed muscle. This type of taping would be most beneficial during the acute stages of tennis elbow when activity levels have been restricted. It will enhance and prolong the benefits of physical therapy when worn between therapy sessions.
The following application instructions are for using a roll of kinesiology tape (as opposed to a pre-cut application, which will be discussed in my next post). The two best known brands of kinesiology tape by the roll are SpiderTape and Kinesio Tex Tape. Both come in rolls that are 2″ wide by 16.5′ long, and in four colors – black, blue, pink and beige.
This kinesiology taping technique is designed to reduce the inflammation in an acute case of tennis elbow and to help the muscle relax and recover. In this instance the tape will be applied from the insertion (wrist end) toward the origin (elbow end) of the wrist extensor muscles.
1. Cut a “Y” strip of tape long enough to stretch from wrist to just below the elbow
2. Flex the wrist (palm toward inner side of wrist), then rotate it slightly to the outside.
3. Remove the backing from the first inch (anchor end) of tape and apply with no stretch on the back side of the wrist, immediately above the hand.
4. Remove the backing from one side of the “Y” and stretch the tape approximately 25% of it’s available stretch. Carefully apply the tape along the inner border of the wrist flexors, ending just below the elbow. Apply the final 1″ of tape with no stretch. Rub tape to activate adhesive.
5. Remove the backing from the other side of the “Y” and stretch the tape approximately 25% of it’s available stretch. Carefully apply the tape along the outer border of the wrist flexors, ending just below the elbow. Apply the final 1″ of tape with no stretch. Rub tape to activate adhesive.
6. Cut a strip of tape approximately 3″ long. Tear the tape backing in the middle of the tape and peel backing back 1″ in each direction from the middle. Stretch this part of the tape to add 40% to its resting length, then apply directly below the elbow, partially covering the ends of the Y strips. Rub tape to activate adhesive, then apply the ends of the tape with no stretch.
Remember, that this type of application is best for acute cases of tennis elbow, during a break from activity. My next post will outline a different taping technique for those who are ready to return to activity.
Benefits of Kinesiology Taping, Part 2 – Microcirculatory Benefits
posted by Tape Expert @ 4:09 PM
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
My last posting outlined the “big 4″ categories of therapeutic benefits associated with kinesiology taping:
1. Psychological Benefits
2. Microcirculatory Benefits
3. Structural Benefis
4. Neurosensory Benefits
Today’s post will focus on the microcirculatory benefits that can be achieved through the use of kinesiology tape. This will provide details of how one can use kinesiology taping to reduce swelling, inflammation and bruising by enhancing the flow of fluids through the smallest vessels of the body.
The Anatomy of Swelling & Inflammation
When part of the body sustains a traumatic injury, cells in the area burst and spill their contents into the extracellular space surrounding the injured tissues. This fluid is a major component of the swelling that accompanies an acute injury. When a large amount of this fluid collects in an enclosed area, it creates pressure on the blood vessels, lymphatic vessels and pain receptors. Severe swelling can actually reduce the circulation of both blood and lymphatic fluid to an injured area – the opposite of what it needs to recover and heal.
How Does Kinesiology Tape Reduce Inflammation?
When kinesiology tape is applied to an inflammed area using a microcirculatory application technique (see below), the lifting motion of the tape creates a space between the top layer of skin and the underlying tissues. This space creates a pressure gradient between this area and the surrounding tissues that encourages the flow of blood into the injured area as well as the removal of lymphatic fluid (swelling). The result? Swelling goes down, pain is relieved, and the healing process is accelerated!
How to Create a Microcirculatory Kinesiology Taping Application
When applying kinesiology tape, the two factors that can be manipulated are the amount of stretch in the tape and the amount of stretch in the muscle. In the case of a microcirculatory application, BOTH THE MUSCLE AND THE TAPE ARE STRETCHED. Always begin by applying the anchor end of the tape with no stretch – this lessens the liklihood of skin irritation and helps the tape adhere better. Next, stretch the injured muscle as far as possible without causing discomfort. As the backing is removed from each section of tape, stretch the tape to approximately 50% of the available stretch and apply it directly over the lymphatic pathways of the injured area. Apply the tail anchor with no stretch.
Because the lymphatic system consists of a mulitude of vessels, most microcirculatory or lymphatic applications are quite complex, in order to cover as many pathways as possible. If using kinesiology tape by the roll, the tape is usually cut into narrow strips or even in a basket weave pattern before applying. If using pre-cut SpiderTech Tape, the Lymphatic Spider is always selected. This convenient application is already cut into narrow strips, with step-by-step directions in the package.
Because kinesiology tape applications are typically worn for up to 5 days, this is an ideal modality for long-term treatment of either acute or chronic swelling. Clinical applications range from the treatment of acute athletic injuries to post-surgical swelling control and relief from the painful, dysfiguring swelling of lymphodema.
My next post will focus on the details of structural kinesiology taping applications.
The “Big 4″ Therapeutic Benefits of Kinesiology Taping
posted by Tape Expert @ 1:07 PM
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Anyone who has used kinesisology tape knows that it has features that make it completely unique in the field of therapeutic taping. When compared to traditional athletic tape, kinesiology tape is much thinner, much stretchier, much lighter … and it comes in 4 ‘designer’ colors! Aesthetics aside, however, what is it that makes kinesiology tape so special?
I was fortunate enough to recently spend time with the Director of Training for Nucap Medical, the company that makes SpiderTape (kinesiology tape by the roll) and SpiderTech Pre-Cut kinesiology tape applications. I learned that kinesiology taping can be used to create 4 unique therapeutic effects on the body. This is the first of a series of 4 postings examining the therapeutic benefits of kinesiology taping. Today’s posting will provide a brief overview of the 4 areas, followed by a more detailed posting for each one individually.
Here’s a quick and dirty overview of the 4 main therapeutic benefits associated with kinesiology taping.
1. Psychological Benefits of Kinesiology Taping
Often casually dismissed as “just a placebo effect,” psychological benefits are a very real and very valid aspect of both healing and performance. Extensive experience with injured athletes has demonstrated that kinesiology taping provides an enhanced perception of stability and support, which leads to a decreased fear of activity. This psychological boost, combined with the physical benefits of taping (see below) allows many injured athletes to continue to train and/or compete as they recover from various injuries.
2. Microcirculatory Benefits of Kinesiology Taping
The microcirculatory taping technique involves stretching both the tape and the injured muscle as the kinesiology tape is applied. This technique produces dramatic reductions in swelling and inflammation. Additionally, it enhances blood flow to the injured area, creating additional benefits. Look for my next posting which will discuss the microcirculatory benefits of kinesiology taping in detail.
3. Structural Benefits of Kinesiology Taping
Structural kinesiology taping applications support injured muscles or joints in both static and dynamic postures. This taping technique involves stretching only the tape (not the muscle) and provides support at the same time as it allows the muscle or joint to continue to move through a safe, healthy range of motion.
4. Neurosensory Benefits of Kinesiology Taping
Neurosensory applications are designed to provide pain relief. In these situations, the muscle is stretched during application, rather than the tape. Pain relief is usually immediate and ongoing, continuing as long as the tape is left on the injured area.
My next three blog posts will examine microcirculatory applications, structural applications and neurosensory applications in greater detail.
The hottest trend in athletic therapy today is kinesio taping – application of a thin, stretchy athletic tape on injured or overused body parts. Satisfied users have reported rapid relief of pain, reduction of swelling and even improved performance from the taped muscle groups.
Depending on the method of taping, kinesiology tape can be used to either inhibit or stimulate a muscle or muscle group. The following suggestions apply to both Kinesio Tape (Kinesio Tex Tape), which comes in rolls, and SpiderTech pre-cut kinesiology tape, which is already configured for specific body parts.
For Overused or Overstretched Muscles
If a muscle is suffering from fatigue and overuse, an inhibitory taping technique should be used to assist in relaxation and recovery and/or relieve pain. Begin by placing the muscle in a stretched position. Apply the anchor end of the tape to the insertion (end) of the muscle with no stretch on the tape. Continue applying the tape, ending at the origin (beginning) of the muscle. There should be only a slight tension/stretch in the tape. Since kinesiology tape is already stretched 25% when the backing is applied, simply placing it on the muscle as it comes off the backing should create the optimum stretch.
For Muscle Weakness or Rehabilitation of Injured Muscles
Kinesio taping can be equally effective to stimulate weak or poorly-toned muscles as well as for rehabilitating muscles after the acute phase of an injury. In these situations, the tape is stretched instead of the muscle. It is also applied in the opposite direction, beginning at the origin and ending at the insertion. Except for the anchor (beginning) and the tail (end), the tape should be stretched slightly as it is applied to the skin.
Knee Precut Kinesiology Tape
“I can’t even feel it on my skin, but my injury feels so much better. How does kinesiology tape work?“
Kinesiology tape is a generic term for a thin, stretchy tape that can be applied to a wide variety of injuries and inflammatory conditions and quickly produce amazing results. The best known brand names are Kinesio Tex Tape (aka Kinesio Tape) and SpiderTech Tape. Other than making a totally cool fashion statement, what is it about this colored tape that has created hundreds of thousands of converts in the last year alone?
1. Kinesiology tape has virtually identical in thickness and elasticity to human skin. This means that once it’s applied, you barely know it’s there. Most applications can be comfortably worn for up to 5 days.
2. When stretched kinesiology tape is applied over an inflammed area, the skin is gently lifted as the tape attempts to return to its unstretched state. This can be seen as a slight puckering or wrinkling of the taped area. This lifting action creates a space between the skin and the inflammed tissues below. reducing pressure on the blood vessels, lymphatic vessels and nerve endings in the injured area. Improved blood flow enhances delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the injured tissues, accelerating the healing process. Improved lymphatic flow reduces swelling which relieves pressure on the pain receptors providing rapid pain relief.
3. Because kinesiology tape can be worn 24/7 for up to 5 days, the therapeutic benefits are available to the body around the clock for the entire time it is worn. It’s kind of like have non-stop physical therapy, day and night, for 5 days. This fact alone greatly accelerates the healing process, allowing a return to normal activities much sooner.
Until recently, kinesiology tape was only available in rolls of varying lengths and widths. Strips are hand-cut from these rolls – sometimes in intricate patterns – to create a kinesiology taping application. The sales leader in kinesiology tape by the roll is Kinesio Tex Tape, the company that supplied 50,000 rolls to athletes in the Beijing Olympics.
Just this spring, however, a new player entered the scene, and it appears to be positioned to take kinesiology taping to the next level. The product is called SpiderTech Tape, and it provides pre-cut, ready to apply kinesiology tape applications for different parts of the body. No measuring or cutting is required – one simply removes the backing and applies the tape to the specific body part.
The intent of this posting is to examine the pros and cons associated with both types of kinesiology tape, to allow consumers to make an educated choice. Let’s look at several important factors and see how each stacks up:
Cost
The average cost for a 16.4’ roll of kinesiology tape ranges from $12 – $14. Usually several applications can be cut from one roll of tape. The average cost for a single pre-cut application ranges from $6 – $11.
Winner: Kinesiology Tape by the Roll
Time to Apply
The average amount of time for a trained kinesiology tape expert to design, cut and apply an application is 8 minutes. Pre-cut applications require no design or cutting time and take less than 2 minutes to apply.
Winner: Pre-cut Kinesiology Tape
User Friendliness
Kinesiology taping can be extremely complicated. It is virtually impossible for an individual with no training to design, cut and apply an effective kinesiology tape application. Instruction manuals can be purchased, but most require some knowledge of anatomy and physiology, and they’re not cheap. Training courses are also available, but they are only applicable to trained health professionals. Pre-cut applications, on the other hand, come with simple step-by-step instructions that make it possible for almost anyone to apply them. Online videos are also available showing how to apply each of the different applications.
Winner: Pre-cut Kinesiology Tape
Flexibility
In some cases, accommodations may be necessary for individuals with very small or very large body sizes. In addition, certain injuries or movements may require an application to be modified for optimal results. Hand-cutting kinesiology tape from rolls allows any type of modification to be made, while only minimal modifications can be made to pre-cut applications.
Winner: Kinesiology Tape by the Roll
Durability
Hand-cutting tape from a roll creates imperfections along the cut edges that lead to fraying within a couple of days. Because pre-cut applications are machine cut and require no hand-cutting, the machine-finished edges resist fraying for several days longer. Wear times of up to 1 week have been reported for pre-cut applications as opposed to 3-5 days for those hand-cut from rolls.
Winner: Pre-cut Kinesiology TapeConvenience
A quickly-applied kinesiology tape application can often allow an injured athlete to finish a match or competition, providing the injury is not serious. Pre-cut applications can be easily carried in an athlete’s sports bag or a trainer’s kit and applied within minutes of an injury. It can take significantly longer to create and cut an application from a roll of tape.
Winner: Pre-cut Kinesiology Tape
Well, there you have it – the pros and cons of pre-cut kinesiology tape vs. kinesiology tape by the roll. As you can see, each type has positives and negatives. Examine them carefully and you should be able to figure out which type will be best for you.
