Athletes are always looking for something to give them an edge, something that will improve their performance and put them at the top of their game. One way athletes try to soar past the competition is by using Kinesio tape. Although the correlation between improved performance and taping hasn’t been scientifically proven, many athletes swear by this technique. Let’s review some of the basics.
What is Kinesio Tape?
Kinesio tape, an elastic therapeutic tape, was developed in the 1970s by a Japanese chiropractor named Kenzo Kase. This tape is basically an elastic cotton strip with an adhesive that athletes apply to their bodies. It’s become increasingly popular recently and you will often see athletes with the tape applied to their bodies during major sporting events.
How Does Kinesio Tape Work?
Kinesio tape is very elastic and can stretch well beyond its original length. Because of this property, when it is stretched out and applied to the skin, it recoils and creates a strong pull on the skin or muscle. This allows for a large range of motion. Depending on what muscles an athlete wants to target, the tape can be applied in specific directions and shapes.
What Are the Benefits of Kinesio Taping?
According to advocates of Kinsesio taping, the technique can provide athletes with many benefits. Some of these include muscle facilitation, less muscle fatigue, less muscle soreness, pain relief, and improved recovery and healing. Proponents of taping claim that the tape can align weak muscles. They also suggest that the recoiling property of Kinesio tape facilitates joint motion. Others believe that the tape lifts the skin and increases blood circulation to that area. This could possibly lead to less pain.
How Kinesio Tape is Applied
It might be best to have a sports trainer help you apply your Kinesio tape, especially if you are new to the technique. The tape is stretched and applied along the muscle in specific directions and shapes designed to support the muscle. There are three basic shapes for tape application. The first is an “I” shape, a simple length of tape usually applied to small areas of muscle. The second shape is a “Y” shape, best applied to larger areas of muscle. Finally, there’s the “X” shape, used on large long muscle areas. Once the tape is applied, it is rubbed to make sure it adheres correctly to the skin. One of the benefits of Kinesio tape is that it lasts longer than normal athletic tape. Because it’s made out of cotton, which allows your skin to breathe a bit and dry faster, the tape can last as long as four days once applied.
Although not everyone in the scientific community is convinced that Kinesio tape really works as well as it claims to, many in the athletic arena have embraced the product and the techniques associated with it. It is quite common to see athletes plastered with brightly colored strips of the tape. It certainly can’t hurt, so it might be worth it to give Kinesio tape a try.