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Archive for the ‘Kinesiology Taping Instructions’ Category
RockTape Fascial Movement Taping for Clinicians
posted by Tape Expert @ 1:42 PM
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
RockTape, a leading kinesiology tape manufacturer, is in the forefront of kinesiology taping education for health professionals. Unlike other kinesiology taping protocols that focus exclusively on therapeutic applications, Rock Tape teaches both fascial movement taping techniques for therapeutic purposes and PowerTaping for sports performance enhancement. This creates a double benefit for athletes and those who treat them – they can use the therapeutic applications for injuries and the sports performance techniques for training and competition.
As part of their ongoing Continuing Professional Education program, RockTape is offering a new Fascial Movement Taping certification program in 2012. Targeted to therapists and other practitioners who are new to kinesiology taping, this in-depth, 2 day program covers both the theoretical and practical aspects of fascial movement applications for athletic performance and rehabilitation. An added bonus is coverage of insurance coding, billing and marketing for kinesiology taping modalities.
Fascial Movement Taping, Part l encompasses the first, full day, and covers :
- The “4 Pillars of Power Taping”
- Indications and Contraindications for Kinesiology Tape Use
- Movement Assessment
- Tape Application
- Special Conditions – Rehab, Posture, Pregnancy, and Edema Control
- FMS – squat and push-up patterns
- Performance Chain Taping
Fascial Movement Taping, Part ll is held on the second day and includes:
- Performance Chain Taping
- Sport Specific Chains and Taping
- Insurance and Cash Billing Practices
- How to Bill and Market Kinesiology Taping
The reference for the course is the RockTape PowerTaping Manual, 2nd Edition. This comprehensive 117 page reference guide covers all aspects of kinesiology taping, and includes over 70 color photos and illustrations. An additional training product designed for busy clinicians is The Patient Education and Desktop Reference Tool, with quick instructions for the 25 most-popular taping applications.
For more information about kinesiology taping training for clinicians, visit the Health Professional’s Resource page in the TheraTape Education Center.
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Getting Your KT Tape to Stick – Part 2
posted by Tape Expert @ 10:07 AM
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The video below, features physical therapist, Chris Harper, explaining everything a beginning taper needs to know about applying KT Tape Precut Strips. Some of the highlights:
- KT Tape is specially designed for consumer use. No special training is required to apply it effectively.
- The tape can be used for a wide variety of conditions, including strained or overused muscles and joints.
- KT Tape differs from conventional taping, wrapping, and bracing products in that it provides support without interfering with movement.
- Kinesiology tape decreases pain and can also reduce inflammation and swelling.
- While conventional kinesiology tapes require measuring and cutting, KT Tape comes in convenient pre-cut strips, that make the application process much simpler.
- The rounded corners on KT Tape Precut Strips are designed to minimize curling and fraying, while perforations down the length of the tape allow it to be quickly modified for a variety of configurations.
- Pre-cut strips can be used in two configurations: “I” strips and “Y” strips. “I” strips may be used “as is” right off the roll. “Y” strips require folding the strip lengthwise and tearing it along the perforation to separate the two halves and create the “arms” of the “Y.”
In addition to the application tips listed in “Getting Your KT Tape to Stick – Part 1,” the video also offers a few additional helpful hints:
- Rather than removing all of the backing at once, remove only the backing of each section as you apply it. Begin by tearing the backing two inches from the end to create an anchor point for the strip. Then apply the rest of the tape as either an I or Y strip.
- If using multiple strips of tape, be sure that the tape ends are applied to bare skin and don’t end on another piece of tape.
PowerTaping – Kinesiology Taping Manual of the Year
posted by Tape Expert @ 7:39 AM
Sunday, December 12, 2010
The award for best kinesiology taping instruction manual of 2010 goes to RockTape’s PowerTaping: Taping Movements, Not Muscles, 2nd Edition. This 117 page manual, with over 70 color photos and illustrations, provides new insights into the field of kinesio taping for both rehabilitation and sports performance. It provides a comprehensive technical education for anyone utilizing kinesiology taping on a regular basis.
The information is divided into 5 main topic areas:
1. PowerTaping for Rehabilitation
A 3-step process beginning with preloading the structure through stretch, followed by taping for stabilization, then taping for decompression (pain relief). Taping instructions are provided for a wide variety of injuries and medical conditions.
2. PowerTaping for Edema Control
Enhancing lymphatic drainage to relieve swelling and edema. Step-by-step illustrated instructions are provided for the thigh, knee, ankle, neck and arm.
3. Power Taping for Postural Control
Includes instructions for abdominal strain/thoraco-lumbar facet, rotational-lateral truck correction and upper cross syndrome.
4. Power Taping for Pregnancy
Taping techniques for a wide variety of pregnancy-related issues, including SI joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, rib pain, diaphragm pain, piriformis/posterior hip pain and more.
5. PowerTaping for Athletic Performance
RockTape’s groundbreaking research into taping entire “movement chains” to reduce fatigue and enhance muscle activation. Includes sport-specific taping instructions for running, swimming, throwing, cycling, kicking and squatting.
This manual was written for health professionals and athletic trainers and contains some moderate to difficult medical terminology. The taping instructions, however, are simple and clearly illustrated and require no medical background to understand and follow.
The PowerTaping Manual, 2nd Edition is now available at Theratape.com.
Kinesiology Taping Techniques – Structural Support
posted by Tape Expert @ 5:00 AM
Monday, November 1, 2010
Kinesiology tape can be applied in different ways to achieve different benefits. One of the main taping techniques is to provide structural support for weak or injured muscles or joints. Because of its elasticity, kinesiology taping is not suitable to provide rigid support for a severe injury or to stabilize an unstable joint. It can, however, be used very effectively to prevent potentially harmful ranges of motion or to improve static or dynamic postures.
The following video was produced by the makers of SpiderTech Tape, to explain and demonstrate how kinesiology tape can be used to provide structural support for a muscle group or joint.
Kinesiology Taping Techniques – Pain Relief vs. Structural Support
posted by Tape Expert @ 5:00 AM
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Kinesiology tape can be applied in different ways to achieve different results. The experts at SpiderTech define three main taping techniques:
- Neurosensory – to relieve acute or chronic pain
- Microcirculatory - to reduce swelling and bruising by enhancing lymphatic drainage
- Structural - to support injured areas and encourage proper postural and movement patterns
Each of these techniques requires a different combination of two factors:
- The amount of stretch in the affected muscle or muscle group
- The amount of stretch in the tape as it is applied
The general rule of thumb for each technique is as follows:
- Neurosensory - stretch the muscle, not the tape
- Structural - stretch the tape, not the muscle
- Microcirculatory - stretch the muscle and the tape
In conjunction with the introduction of their new PowerStrips Kinesiology Tape Precut Strips, Spider Tech has produced some new videos that clearly demonstrate application techniques for each of the three categories. The following video explains the difference between a neurosensory application and a structural application for the shoulder.
Now that you know what kinesiology tape is and the different types that are available, the logical next step is to educate you about how it is used. Kinesiology taping takes a completely different approach to athletic taping than the rigid, immobilizing sports tapes most athletes are familiar with. This approach evolved from the desire of many athletes to continue to train and compete as they recovered from their injuries. While rigid taping techniques make this difficult because of the immobilization of the injured areas, the elasticity of kinesiology tape allows an effective taping to be accomplished without restricting a normal range of motion. This reduces the need to compensate with uninvolved muscle groups, which can negatively effect both function and performance.
First introduced by the makers of Kinesio Tex Tape as the Kinesio Taping Method, the technique involves applying tape directly over an injured area, as well as around its perimeter. In most cases, the muscles should be held in a stretched position while the tape is applied. Unless the goal is to provide structural support, the tape itself does not usually require additional stretching as it is applied. The natural elasticity of the tape creates a microscopic lifting action of the skin, which activates both neurological and circulatory healing mechanisms. Reduced pressure on pain receptors can rapidly relieve acute pain, while improved blood flow and lymphatic drainage reduce swelling and facilitate healing.
With slight variations in taping technique, kinesiotaping can accomplish all of the following:
- Provide structural support to joints and muscles without restricting a healthy range of motion.
- Correct improper muscle function by providing neurosensory feedback during movement.
- Relieve pain from both acute injuries and chronic pain conditions.
- Reduce swelling and inflammation through enhanced lymphatic drainage.
- Accelerate healing via improved blood flow to injured tissues.
- Prevent overuse and overcontraction of working muscles.
- Accelerate recovery from intense exercise.
- Reestablish normal muscle activation following an injury.
- Increase muscle tone in injured or neurologically inhibited muscles.
- Delay fatigue and improve endurance through enhanced muscle ‘snap back.’
Volleyball and basketball seasons go hand in hand (pun intended) with jammed fingers. A finger jam occurs when a ball makes contact directly on the tip of the finger. The force is transmitted through the fingertip to the knuckles. Although the initial pain is felt in the fingertip, it is usually one of the knuckles that is more seriously injured. Depending on the severity of the sprain, the knuckle may end up bruised, swollen and excruciatingly painful.
Athletes who want to continue playing with a finger jam injury need to provide support to the injured area. Restrictive taping, however, can interfere with touch and the ability to control the ball. This is the type of situation where kinesiology tape can provide the perfect balance between mobility and support. The elasticity of kinesiology tape allows it to provide support to joints or muscles without restricting range of motion as traditional athletic tape does.
KT Tape is a major kinesiology tape brand in the US and internationally. Following are some very simple instructions for applying KT Tape quickly and effectively to a jammed finger.
Step 1: Cut a strip of KT Tape that is 1/2″ to 1″ wide and 6″ to 8″ long, depending on the size of the finger. Tear the backing in the middle of the tape and peel it back toward the ends. With the finger straight, anchor the middle of the tape on the pad of the injured finger and run one end of the tape along the inside of the finger.
Step 2: With the finger bent as much as possible. apply the other end of the tape along the top of the finger, ending on the top of the hand above the last knuckle. Do not stretch the tape as it is applied. When finished, rub the taped area gently to activate the adhesive. The finger will feel as though it is being gently pulled into an extended position.
The tape should be applied at least an hour before exercise or showering.
Kinesiology Taping for Pregnancy: Part 4 – Diaphragm Pain
posted by Tape Expert @ 6:00 AM
Saturday, August 28, 2010
By the third trimester of pregnancy, the uterus has expanded to fill the entire space between the pelvis and the breast bone. This puts a significant amount of pressure on the diaphragm, the band of muscle separating the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. When unrestricted, the diaphragm moves up and down as it contracts and relaxes, pushing air in and out of the lungs. As the baby grows, it pushes up on the diaphragm, limiting its ability to move up and down. This is responsible for the shortness of breath most women experience towards the end of pregnancy. Because the diaphragm contains many nerves, pressure applied to the diaphragm can cause also pain, not only in the diaphragm, but also referred pain in the ribs and even the shoulders.
The RockTape Kinesiology Tape company leads the field in kinesiology taping applications for pregnancy. A simple, inexpensive and safe technique to relieve diaphragm-related discomfort is to apply a strip of kinesiology tape around the upper perimeter of the baby bump. The following diagram and instructions are taken from the RockTape Pregnancy Applications poster, which details 12 different taping techniques for a variety of pregnancy-related discomforts.
1. Begin by cutting a strip of Rock Tape long enough to stretch around the entire upper border of the “baby bump.” Round the corners to help prevent peeling.
2. Fold the tape in half and tear the backing completely across the center of the strip. Peel the backing away from the center a few inches in each direction.
3. Apply the center of the tape on the top of the bulge, directly below the sternum/breastbone. With a full inhalation of breath, continue to remove the backing and apply the tape with a slight stretch along the outer perimeter of the abdomen.
4. Apply the final 2-3″ of tape with no stretch. Rub the entire length of the tape to activate the adhesive.
Free Poster – RockTape
Pregnancy Taping Instructions
Would you like a copy of the entire RockTape Pregnancy Application poster with 12 different kinesiology taping applications for conditions related to pregnancy. CLICK HERE to order.
Kinesiology Taping for Pregnancy: Part 2 – Swollen Ankles
posted by Tape Expert @ 7:13 AM
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Swollen ankles are one of the most common miseries of pregnancy. Fortunately, kinesiology taping can provide a safe, simple and convenient remedy for this, as well as many other miseries of pregnancy. This is the second in a series of posts covering the use of kinesiology tape for the discomforts of pregnancy.
The kinesio taping technique used for swelling and edema is called lymphatic taping. It involves applying the anchor end of the tape close to the lymphatic drainage ducts, with “fingers” of tape extending along the nearby lymphatic channels. The tape is applied with a light stretch, lifting the skin just enough to relieve pressure on the lymphatic vessels, allowing them to drain excess fluid more efficiently.
The makers of RockTape Kinesiology Tape have provided a series of simple taping instructions for common pregnancy complaints. The following illustration shows the lymphatic taping technique to use with ankle edema.
How to Cut a Fan Strip
To cut a fan strip for a lymphatic taping, take a strip of kinesiology tape and make several longitudinal cuts beginning at one end and finishing 3-4″ from the other end (the anchor end). For ankle edema, the anchor end is applied above the ankle and the “fingers” are spread out directly over the swollen area. If necessary, multiple fan strips can be cut and applied crossing over each other.
Kinesiology Taping for Preganacy – Part 1: Abdomen
posted by Tape Expert @ 11:00 AM
Sunday, June 20, 2010
This is the first in a series of posts providing instructions for taping a variety of conditions related to pregnancy.
The physical changes associated with pregnancy put strain on many different parts of the body. The accompanying swelling, aches and pains can make the latter stages of pregnancy extremely uncomfortable. With the precautions against taking medications while pregnant, it can seem as though there are few solutions to deal with things like back pain, swollen feet, carpal tunnel and more.
Kinesiology taping is an ideal solution for all of these issues. The soft, elastic tape is comfortable to wear and it contains no medications. It’s hypoallergenic acrylic adhesive is safe and non-irritating. And, the best thing about kinesio taping during pregnancy is that is can dramatically relieve many of the physical discomforts that can make life miserable.
The Baby Belt Kinesiology Taping by RockTape
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Begin by cutting 2 pieces of tape, approximately 3 feet long. Remove the backing from the end of one piece and apply it over the hip area (photo 1). Have the subject hold her arm above her head as you apply the kinesiotape in a spiral pattern along the lower margin of the abdomen, over the ribs and up the back, finishing just above the opposite shoulder blade.
Repeat the process starting on the other hip.
Cut two more strips of kinesiology tape, each approximately 15″ long. Have subject hold both arms above her head.Apply the end of the first strip just above and to the side of the pelvic bone, then run the rest of the strip straight up over the abdomen, finishing on the ribcage just below the breasts.
Repeat on the other side with the second strip of tape.
Rear view of completed taping.
Remember that, if properly applied, most kinesiotaping applications can be worn for up to 5 days. This makes kinesiology tape a convenient and cost effective way to deal with the discomforts of pregnancy.
