If you’ve ever watched a sporting event on TV, there’s a good chance you’ve seen Kinesio tape in action. Maybe you’ve seen a volleyball player or runner wearing brightly colored strips and figured they served some sort of therapeutic purpose but you weren’t quite sure what it was.
Kinesio tape is an elastic strip that is applied directly to the skin and is designed to provide full range of motion while still being supportive to the muscles. It was designed to help with the treatment and prevention of injuries for people of all ages and activity levels, from elite athletes to someone working at a desk all day.
Whether you’ve been recommended Kinesio tape as a treatment or you are just curious about its potential benefits, we’ve created the following guide to help. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about whether this form of treatment could be right for you, we encourage you to reach out to our team today.
Kinesio tape is designed to offer relief and improved functioning
Kinesio tape was created as an improvement to traditional athletic tape by offering increased range of motion and better support. Athletic tape, typically made out of cotton, is designed to offer support to an injured area such as the knee or ankle. However, because this type of tape is relatively soft and flexible, it has to be wrapped tightly and in a manner that restricts motion.
In contrast, Kinesio tape includes materials like spandex and adhesive and is designed to stretch, mimicking natural body movements while still offering support. This works to help the person wearing it in the following ways:
- Lifting the skin away from the muscles below it to improve flexibility and potentially relieve pain
- Improving muscle strength in areas where it may be weak after injury or surgery
- Relieving muscle tightness when applied correctly to targeted areas
To receive the maximum benefits, Kinesio tape should be applied by someone with the proper training, such as a physical therapist who has been certified in kinesiology.
SOL Physical Therapy provides Kinesio taping expertise
If you are dealing with injuries to the feet, ankles, knees, shoulders or even neck or back pain, Kinesio tape can potentially help. When you come to SOL Physical Therapy, we’ll provide a thorough evaluation designed to identify the sources of your pain and injury and identify the best treatment options for it. If it is determined that you could benefit from Kinesio tape, we make it a priority to educate you on the benefits it can apply to your specific situation and the highlights of proper application.
Learn more and schedule your initial appointment with us when you contact our caring and dedicated team today.
