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Kinesiology Taping for Rehabilitation & Sports Performance
Posts Tagged ‘kinesiology taping for tennis elbow’
KT Tape Tennis Channel Video
posted by Tape Expert
KT Tape was featured on the popular Tennis Channel program, Fit to Hit, during the summer. The show featured the lead physical therapist and athletic trainer for the ATP, Clay Sniteman. Sniteman uses KT Tape on tennis pros to relieve pain, reduce swelling and accelerate healing from their injuries. Tennis pros love it because it allows them to continue training and competing as they recover from such injuries as tennis elbow, rotator cuff injuries, wrist strain, knee pain and more. The elastic properties of kinesiology tape allow it to provide support for an injured or overused area without restricting movement, a critical feature for tennis players who need to access their full arsenal of moves during tournament play.
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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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A Simple Way to Tape Tennis Elbow
posted by Tape Expert
For most recreational tennis players, tennis season is back in full swing after an extended break between Thanksgiving and late January. For many, taking a break for a few weeks was just what they needed to recover from nagging overuse injuries such as tennis elbow. Unfortunately, tennis elbow is one of those maladies that can rear its ugly head at any time, being triggered by a new racquet, a technique change, or even a workout with old, heavy balls. This is the type of injury that is perfectly suited for kinesiology taping.
For players with tennis elbow (or anyone else afflicted with lateral epicondylitis), kinesiology taping can relieve pain, reduce inflammation and accelerate the healing process. It soothes and supports those overused forearm muscles, as well as their attachment on the lateral epicondyle – the bump on the outside of the elbow. One of the most loved features of kinesiology taping for tennis elbow is that most players can continue to play and compete as they heal.
Following is a simple kinesiology taping technique for tennis elbow, presented by RockTape, a new kinesiology tape designed for performance athletes.
Kinesiology Taping Instructions for Tennis Elbow
Kinesiology Taping Application Tips
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This is the 4th installment in my series on kinesiology taping for tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis. I’m now focusing on specific applications for individuals who need to continue their activity despite having an ongoing tennis elbow problem – chronic elbow pain. This technique is also applicable to those returning to activity following a period of rest and/or physical therapy for tennis elbow. The following step-by-step instructions are for application of a pre-cut kinesiology tape specifically for the elbow.
Preparation
Ensure that the skin of the elbow and forearm is clean and dry. Prepare the precut elbow kinesiology tape by tearing the backing along each of the perforated lines. This will allow you to apply each section individually, creating a more effective application.
Step 1. Remove the backing from section 1 (the anchor) and apply with no stretch in the tape to the outside of the arm just above the lateral epicondyle (bony bump on the outside of the elbow). Gently rub tape from the center out to activate adhesive.
Step 2. Remove the backing from both sections 2 and apply both sides to the skin with no stretch in the tape. Gently rub the tape from the center toward the ends to activate the adhesive.
Step 3. Remove the backing of section 3 and stretch the tape approximately 1″ longer than resting length so that the hole is directly over the lateral epicondyle (bony bump on the outside of the elbow). Rub to activate adhesive.
Step 4. Flex the wrist, pointing fingers downward. Begin removing backing from the outside arm of section 4, applying the tape in the direction of the little finger with no additional stretch in the tape. If the tape is applied to the skin as the backing is removed, you will create the ideal tension.
Step 5. Keeping the wrist flexed and the fingers pointed downward, begin peeling the backing from the inside arm of section 4, applying the tape in the direction of the thumb. If the tape is applied to the skin as the backing is removed, you will create the perfect tension.
Final View. Be sure to gently rub over the entire taped area to activate the glue. For best results, apply tape 30-60 minutes before sweating, swimming or showering. A complete list of tips for applying and removing kinesiology tape can be found at www.theratape.com/application/tips.
My next post will include a video showing the above elbow taping being performed by a trained chiropractor.
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This is the third installment in my tennis elbow series. Part 1 provided an overview of tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis. Part 2 provided kinesiology taping instructions for acute tennis elbow during a break from activity, with the goal of relieving inflammation and helping the overused wrist extensor muscles relax and recover.
Many people with tennis elbow, however, can’t or don’t want to take time away from the activity that is responsible for the pain and inflammation. Many athletes prefer to “play through” overuse injuries like tendonitis of the elbow, while manual laborers with lateral epicondylitis may need to continue working to earn a living. In these cases, a different kinesiology taping technique can be used to reduce pain and provide structural support for the muscles of the forearm.This technique is also applicable to individuals returning to activity after taking time off due to tennis elbow pain.
Taping from the origin (elbow end) to the insertion (wrist end) of the forearm extensors will facilitate activation of these muscles, overiding the body’s natural decrease in muscle tone and muscle activation that occur in response to pain. The following step-by-step instructions are for using pre-cut kinesiology tape for tennis elbow. The brand name of this product is SpiderTech, and the elbow application is one of 15 different precut kinesiology tape applications for different parts of the body. The following images show the shape of the pre-cut SpiderTech Elbow application, followed by a diagram of the reverse side showing the application sequence.
My next posting, “Kinesiology Taping for Chronic Tennis Elbow – Part B” will provide step-by-step application instructions for the SpiderTech Pre-Cut Elbow Tape.
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