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Kinesiology Taping for Rehabilitation & Sports Performance
Posts Tagged ‘kinesio tape athletes’
RockTape Athletes Exceling in Numerous Sports
posted by Tape Expert
When it comes to kinesiology taping for athletic performance enhancement, RockTape leads the field. And, if podium results are any indication, RockTape’s cutting-edge PowerTaping protocol could become part of the pre-competition preparation of all champion athletes.
So far this year, Rock Tape athletes have reached the podium over 75 times and have amassed a total of 17 National Titles. Much of RockTape’s initial success was in cycling, but as the following list demonstrates, athletes in any sport can benefit from both PowerTaping for performance enhancement and/or therapeutic taping for injuries.
RockTape Champion Athletes
Professional Women’s Cycling
Mara Abbott – 1st, 2010 US Nat’l Road Racing Championship; 1st, Giro Donne
Megan Guarnier – 1st, 2010 Tour de Nez
Kaitie Antonneau – 1st, 2010 US Collegiate National Track Championship, Omnium; 2nd, 2010 US Jr National Road Championships
Sinead Miller – 1st, U23 2010 US Road National Championship; 1st, U23 2010 US National Time Trial Championship
Olivia Dillon – 1st, Irish National Championship
Ruth Winder, Cari Higgins, Hanan Alves-Hyde – 1st, 2010 US National Elite Track Championship, Team Pursuit
Cari Higgins – 2010 US National Elite Track Championship: 1st 500m; 2nd Omnium; 3rd Points Race
Hanan Alves-Hyde – 2010 US National Elite Track Championship: 2nd, Points Race; 4th Omnium
Beth Newell – 4th, 2010 US National Elite Track Championship, Scratch Race
Professional Men’s Cycling
Daniel Holloway – 1st, 2010 U.S. Professional Criterium Championship, Gateway cup winner
Jackson Stewart – 2nd, Tour de Beauce, Stage 6
Tejay Van Garderen – 2nd, Tour of Turkey
Ian Moir – 1st, 2010 US Elite National Track Championship, Madison
Junior Cycling
Coryn Rivera – US Jr. Road National Championship: 1st, TT; 1st, Road; 1st, Crit; US Jr. Track National Championship: 1st, Keirin; 1st, Points; 1st, Sprint; 1st, Team Sprint; 3rd, Junior World Track and Road Championships
Daniel Farinha – 2nd, 2010 US Jr. National Championship, Madison
Ruth Winder – US Jr. National Championship: 1st, Flying TT; 3rd, Team Sprint; 2nd, Scratch; 2nd, Points
John Tomlinson – US Jr. National Championship: 2nd, Flying TT; 2nd, Points
Philip OʼDonnell – US Jr. National Road Championship: 1st, Road; 1st Crit; 2nd TT
Triathlon
Suzy McCulloch – 1st, 2010 Diamondman Half Ironman
Cogen Nelson – qualified at US Triathlon Nationals to represent Team USA in Beijing
Badminton
Derrick Ng – 2nd, 2010 Canadian Championship, U23
Inline Skating
Wouter Hebbrecht – 1st, 2009 World Championship Inline Speed Skating
As word spreads, more successful athletes are choosing to become RockTape athletes. The most recent addition is
2012 decathlon hopeful, Ryan Beckwith. a former CIF 4x100m relay champion who runs the 100m in 10.48 and vaults a 17ʼ5”.
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Kinesiology Tape Big on ATP Tour
posted by Tape Expert
Professional tennis players maintain a brutal schedule of training and tournament play. With major events scheduled throughout the year, there is no “off season” for touring tennis pros. Maintaining such a high level of activity week after week and month after month takes a toll on the body. Tour players are continually dealing with a host of aches and pains, ranging from annoying overuse syndromes to major traumatic injuries.
Kinesiology tape provides athletes with a solution for working through minor injuries and recovering faster from major injuries. In addition, it can enhance endurance and performance during training sessions and matches, as well as accelerate recovery after intense exercise.
Unlike traditional athletic tape that is tight and restrictive, kinesiotape provides support without limiting range of motion. It is water resistant and breathable, and can be worn for up to 5 days, even through intense exercise, showering or swimming.
No wonder we’re seeing players sporting colorful configurations of kinesiology tape at all of the major tournaments!
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Airrosti (Applied Integration for the Rapid Recovery of Soft Tissue Injuries) is a unique approach to treating injuries to the soft tissues of the body. Based in Texas, Airrosti initially focused on the elite athlete population and rapidly gained a reputation for helping athletes recover from strains, sprains and overuse injuries in record time. Their track record is impressive – the average recovery time from common strains and sprains is 1-3 visits.
I have been anxious to personally experience Airrosti for a couple of reasons: (1) I’m prone to soft tissue injuries and am always looking for anything that will get me back on the tennis courts sooner, and (2) I’d heard that virtually everyone who goes for an Arrosti treatment leaves with kinesiology tape applied to the area being treated. My recent flare up of iliotibial band syndrome (IT Band) provided the perfect opportunity to visit my local Airrosti provider.
I had been forewarned that the treatments could be extremely painful, and that proved to be true. The “manual therapy” part of the treatment involves hands-on manipulation of the fascia, the fibrous tissue that surrounds and connects every other tissue in the body. Fascia can become tightened, twisted or distorted as a result of trauma or overuse, and will remain that way unless manually corrected. Airrosti providers manipulate the fascia through deep, hands-on “massage” with their thumbs. In my case, this involved tracing the entire length of my iliotibial tract and quadriceps muscles, beginning at the knee and ending at the hip. I quickly developed a nice set of “racing stripes” as I bruised under the pressure of the manipulation. However, being an athlete familiar with the pain of injuries as well as the pain of rehab, I immediately knew that this was the “good” kind of pain, associated with the release of tissues to a healthier state.
A peek into the supply cupboard showed a good supply of the three major brands of kinesiology tape – Kinesio Tape, SpiderTech Tape and RockTape. I had the privilege of being the first patient taped with Airrosti’s new private-labeled RockTape. The black Rock Tape with the Airrosti name and logo in white made quite a fashion statement as I left in my shorts.
What makes kinesiology taping such a great fit for Airrosti?
The improved lymphatic drainage will help minimize swelling and bruising of the treated tissues- The enhanced blood flow to the injured tissues supports more rapid healing
- The lifting action of the tape on the skin decreases pressure on pain receptors, making both the injury and the effects of the treatment less painful
- Kinesiology tape provides support for injured muscles or joints while still allowing a full, healthy range of movement, an important component in rehab
After only one Airrosti treatment, I was able to complete my next run with no ITB pain. I’ll return for two additional treatments next week to complete the process. And, in the meantime, I’ll be a walking, running, tennis playing advertisement for both Airrosti and Rock Tape!
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April 27, 2010
“Bright-colored strips of tape in odd patterns are increasingly being seen on professional and recreational athletes. Kinesiology tape can help take pressure off overused muscles, reduce swelling and alleviate pain from injuries, say companies that sell it. Scientific evidence is mixed, but clinicians say it seems to work—at least in the short term. “
So begins a detailed article on kinesiology tape in today’s Wall Street Journal. Overwhelmingly positive overall, “Putting on the Stripes to Ease Pain” discusses how kinesiology tape has rapidly established itself in North America and introduces the companies that have taken it to a new level.
The three major manufacturers are profiled, including Kinesio Tex Tape, SpiderTech Tape and RockTape. Each has established itself by virtue of a specific market niche – Kinesio Tex Tape as a clinical product, Spider Tech as the leader in precut kinesiology tape for different body parts, and Rock Tape as a premium performance-enhancing tape for athletes.
As kinesiology taping applications are being seen on more athletes in more sports, the demand for the products at the consumer level is exploding. Many online retailers sell only to health professionals, but all three brands are available to the general public on a specialty kinesiology tape website, www.theratape.com.
If the validity of kinesiology taping was ever in doubt, this profile in the Wall Street Journal has given it the official “big business” stamp of approval.
Click Here to read the entire article.
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One of the most critical time periods during recovery from a sports injury is the return to activity. During this phase of recovery, athletes may face a number of challenges:
- pain in the injured area or in structures supporting the injured area
- loss of strength due to muscle inhibition
- unhealthy movement patterns resulting from protective mechanisms
- inefficient or unbalanced movement patterns related to compensation from other muscle groups
- fear of engaging full range of motion
Any of these issues can delay an athlete’s return to full functioning, or even contribute to additional injuries. Fortunately, this is where kinesiology taping truly shines. A well-applied kinesio taping application can address all of these issues and more.
I recently returned from the PowerTaping certification seminar conducted by RockTape. In this seminar I learned about a 3-step taping protocol that is ideal for athletes who are returning from an injury or who need to continue training or competing with an injury. This taping technique can be done using any of the major kinesiology tape brands – Kinesio Tex Tape, RockTape or SpiderTape.
Injury Taping Step 1
Preload the muscles by placing the affected area into a position of maximal stretch. Take your time with this step – it puts the tissues into a condition to receive maximum benefit from the tape application. Active techniques could include dynamic stretching, yoga poses or myofacial release techniques (rollers, balls, etc.).
Once the maximal stretch has been achieved, this position should be held throughout the taping.
Injury Taping Step 2
Apply one or more “decompression” strips directly over the most painful areas. This technique involves applying a fully stretched (except for the ends) strip horizontally across the affected muscle group. For large areas, several strips can be applied.
The lifting action on the skin will provide pain relief and enhance local circulation to reduce inflammation and keep the tissues well-oxygenated.
Injury Taping Step 3
Apply “stabilization” strips around the perimeter of the affected area. This is a good place to use Y-strips, with the base at the lower end of the muscle group and the tails running vertically around the outer boundaries of the muscles.
This part of the taping will support the injured area, while still allowing a full range of motion. In addition, the sensory feedback from the tape will discourage the athlete from engaging in harmful or inefficient compensatory movement patterns.
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I recently had the dubious privilege of experiencing one of the signature injuries of the tennis world – a ruptured plantaris tendon. This injury is, in fact, so common among tennis players that is is referred to as “tennis leg.”
The plantaris is a long, thin tendon that runs from just above the knee to the back of the heel. A plantaris rupture feels just like getting hit in the calf with a hard serve. My first clue that I had a plantaris injury came when I checked behind me and noted that I was still alone on my side of the court – no phantom server, no rolling ball. My second clue came when I attempted to take a step and instead, collapsed in pain.
Luckily, I was able to get immediate treatment that included cold laser, ultrasound and, of course, Kinesio Taping. Although I’m known as Tape Expert, this was my first opportunity to actually use Kinesio Tex Tape with an acute (and incredibly painful) injury. My initial taping was a multicolored criss cross “microcirculatory” or lymphatic taping designed to reduce the swelling and bruising. After a few days, I graduated to a “neurosensory” taping that dramatically relieved the pain whenever I put weight on my injured leg.
I’m happy to report that, within two and a half weeks, I was back on the courts – this time with a “structural” application, designed to provide support for my traumatized calf muscles, while still allowing me to move freely through a full range of motion. Within a month, I was back running and playing tennis on my typical manic schedule, with no taping required and no pain or swelling.
I now refer to my experience with tennis leg as the “best bad injury” I ever had.
Watch for my next three posts, which will provide additional detail on the three taping techniques that I used Kinesio Tex Tape for: (1) the microcirculatory or lymphatic taping technique for relief of swelling, edema and bruising, (2) the neurosensory or decompression taping technique for pain relief, and (3) the structural or compression taping technique for providing support to injured or recovering muscles.
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RockTape Profiled on NBC
posted by Tape Expert
What does it take to get over 2 minutes of free coverage on NBC during the Olympic Games? A totally hot, new product that has implications for athletes of all ages and abilities!
RockTape is an exciting, new kinesiology tape that has been specifically engineered to enhance athletic performance. It provides the same therapeutic benefits as regular kinesiology tape, but some unique properties of the tape, combined with an innovative taping method called PowerTaping™, allow it to also delay the onset of fatigue, accelerate recovery and improve muscle activation during athletic activities. Following are some of the properties of RockTape that has made it a hit with performance athletes:
- A Tighter Weave allows it to provide superior support for working muscles, while still allowing a full range of movement.
- Greater Elasticity (190% vs 130%) creates enhanced “snap back,” for enhanced muscle activation.
- A Stronger Adhesive allows it to stay in place for the duration of even extreme events like Ironman triathlons, marathons, etc.
The results for athletes? Delayed onset of fatigue, enhanced bloodflow to working muscles, accelerated lactate removal and improved muscle activation.
Here’s what NBC had to say about RockTape:
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Let’s face it, thigh muscles take a beating in every sport that involves running, jumping or cycling. Muscle strains, muscle fatigue, muscle cramps, charley horses and even plain old (but painful) muscle stiffness can really take a toll on the quadriceps muscles in the front of the thigh.
Kinesiology tape is a thin, stretchy therapeutic tape that is particularly effective for relieving muscular pain, spasms and inflammation. Used as both a therapeutic medical tape and a sports tape, it can be applied to any of the above conditions, providing rapid relief of pain and inflammation. This allows many injured athletes to continue to train and compete as they recover from these types of injuries and overuse syndromes. Once applied, most kinesiology tape applications can be worn up to 5 days, providing therapeutic benefits 24/7 the entire time they’re worn.
This is part of a series of posts on how to apply kinesiology tape. focusing on simple, yet effective, kinesiology taping techniques that virtually anyone can master. They were developed by the makers of RockTape, a new brand of kinesiology tape that has been engineered to enhance athletic performance in addition to providing therapeutic benefits.
How to Tape the Quadricips with RockTape Kinesiology Tape
Kinesiology Taping Application Tips
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After a year and a half away from the tour, Justine Henin is staging an amazing comeback to the top ranks of women’s professional tennis. She recently made it to the final of the Australian Open, being defeated by Serena Williams. Throughout her matches, she wore kinesiology tape on her left inner thigh, probably for a strained adductor (groin muscle).
Kinesiology taping is being embraced by athletes and trainers the world over because of its ability to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and provide support without restricting range of motion. This allows athletes with injuries such as muscle strains or overuse syndromes to continue to train and/or compete as they recover.
Because kinesiology tape is so thin and elastic, it can be worn 5-7 days, providing therapeutic benefits the entire time it is worn. This is very different from conventional athletic tape which must be removed immediately after exercise. Another difference between kinesiology tape and conventional sports tape is the taping technique. Whereas sports tape is usually wrapped tightly around an injured muscle or joint, kinesiology tape almost never completely encircles any part of the body. Instead, it is applied over and around the affected muscle groups, as seen in the above image. This allows it to lift the skin, increasing circulation and lymphatic drainage, and relieving pressure on pain receptors under the skin.
Kinesiology tape is available in rolls or in precut kinesiology tape configurations for specific parts of the body.
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We’re moving into track and field season, which means that the incidence of shin splints is about to increase dramatically. Runners and jumpers are especially prone to this excruciating pain in the muscles attaching to the front shin area. Once an athlete has developed shin splints, they can become chronic, causing pain and dysfunction that can significantly impact an athlete’s ability to train and compete.
Kinesiology tape is a thin, stretchy therapeutic tape that is particularly effective for relieving muscular pain, spasms and inflammation. Used as both a therapeutic medical tape and a sports tape, it can be applied to an injury such as shin splints, providing rapid relief of pain and inflammation. This allows many injured athletes to continue to train and compete as they recover from this type of overuse syndrome. Once applied, most kinesiology tape applications can be worn up to 5 days, providing therapeutic benefits 24/7 the entire time they’re worn.
This is part of a series of posts presenting simple, yet effective, kinesiology taping techniques that virtually anyone can master. They were developed by the makers of RockTape, a new brand of kinesiology tape that has been engineered to enhance athletic performance in addition to providing therapeutic benefits.
Kinesiology Taping for Shin Splints
Kinesiology Tape Application Tips
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