| Much speculation surrounded beach volleyball | | | | contain latex, which is great for those with latex |
| superstar and Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh's shoulder | | | | allergies. |
| "tattoo" during the Beijing Olympics. It's not a tattoo at | | | | How Does Kinesio Tape Work? |
| all, actually. It's Kinesio Tape, reportedly placed there to | | | | When properly applied, you don't even know the tape |
| help improve healing and reduce shoulder pain. | | | | is there. The practitioner places it on slightly stretched |
| Kinesio Tape and Kinesio Taping is nothing new, but it | | | | skin from one end of the muscle to the other, with |
| is certainly catching on. It was developed more than 25 | | | | varying amounts of stretch to the tape. For muscle |
| years ago by Dr. Kenzo Kase, a Japanese | | | | support/facilitation, the tape is applied from the muscle |
| chiropractor who trained in the US. | | | | origin to the muscle insertion. For rehabilitation or |
| For years, the tape and the taping methods were | | | | muscular inhibition, it goes on just the opposite. |
| primarily used by sports medicine doctors, rehabilitation | | | | The taping technique is based on the body's own |
| specialists, physical therapists and chiropractors. The | | | | natural healing process. Rather than "strap down" the |
| effectiveness of Kinesio Taping has spread like wildfire | | | | muscle, the philosophy is to give free range of motion |
| and it is now used by medical practitioners and top | | | | and allow the body's own muscular system to heal |
| athletes worldwide. The Japanese Olympic volleyball | | | | itself bio-mechanically. Application of Kinesio Tape |
| team is thought to have started the frenzy with the | | | | encourages muscles to function as they would if they |
| athletes. | | | | didn't need the tape, which improves not only body |
| I've read that Kinesio Taping is being used on Lance | | | | movement but circulation of venous and lymph flows, |
| Armstrong, Serena Williams, David Beckam, Robby | | | | body temperature, etc. Pretty simple, but it makes |
| Ginepri and Justine Henin, not to mention the current | | | | perfect sense. There is, I believe, a psychological |
| crop of Olympiads including Martins Plavins and of | | | | aspect as well. If your sore muscles are supported |
| course, Kerri Walsh. | | | | and allowed to heal, you are not in as much pain and |
| In Lance Armstrong's book "Every Second Counts", he | | | | you relax. Your performance improves along with |
| refers to Kinesio as "Something better than any laser, | | | | faster healing. |
| wrap, or electric massager...The Tape. It is a special | | | | Kinesio Tape's Uses are Seemingly Endless |
| hot-pink athletic tape that came from Japan and | | | | Who would think that strategically placed elastic |
| seemed to have special powers. Every morning | | | | athletic tape would make any difference in the healing |
| before the stage, they would tape us all up, different | | | | process, or athletic performance, for that matter? Well, |
| parts of our bodies . . . George's back, Chechu's knees. | | | | it seems to work in a whole lot of ways if you ask our |
| Sometimes we'd be so wrapped up in hot-pink tape | | | | customers. Reviews (avg 5 out of 5 stars) of Kinesio |
| that we'd look like dolls, a bunch of broken dolls. But the | | | | Tape mention its effectiveness in relieving carpal |
| next day the pain disappeared -- it was gone." | | | | tunnel, arthritis, plantar fasciitis, shoulder pain, and even |
| Kinesio Taping is basically a technique of applying | | | | ocular myasthenia. Other sources say that Kinesio |
| Kinesio Tape -- thin, elastic, color-coded strips of tape - | | | | Tape can be used for headaches to foot problems |
| on joints and muscles where support and stability is | | | | and everything in between. Examples include muscular |
| needed. It is a "non-restrictive" taping method (think the | | | | facilitation or inhibition in pediatric patients, lower back |
| opposite of heavy strapping of ankles), used to reduce | | | | strain/pain (subluxations, herniated disc), knee conditions, |
| pain and inflammation, relax overused tire muscles and | | | | hamstring, groin injury, rotator cuff injury, whiplash, |
| speed healing. It is also used for preventative | | | | tennis elbow, patella tracking, pre- and post-surgical |
| maintenance, edema and pain management. | | | | edema, ankle sprains, athletic preventative injury |
| The tape itself is an elastic woven tape that comes in | | | | method, and as a support method. |
| a variety of widths, colors and types. It is cut into | | | | One very important thing to remember is that the |
| different shapes and applied with a slight stretch to | | | | effectiveness of Kinesio Tape highly relies on the |
| stretched skin. It may look like conventional athletic | | | | placement and technique. You can do it yourself, but |
| tape but it is fundamentally different in that it has a | | | | only after you have been trained by a professional. |
| specific elasticity that plays a role in its effectiveness. It | | | | If you have any of the conditions mentioned above, |
| is thin, like skin, and is applied by professionals trained | | | | Kinesio Taping might be worth a mention to your |
| specifically for the different applications. It is placed on | | | | medical practitioner or chiropractor. Professionals and |
| top of the skin, strategically, often in "waves", and is | | | | consumers, find all types of Kinesio Tape and great |
| effective for 3 to 5 days before it needs to be | | | | deals on medical supplies at one stop. |
| replaced. You can shower or swim with it. It doesn't | | | | |
