KinesioTex Tape- Train like an Olympian

If you’ve watched the Olympics over the past several Games, you probably have seen at least a few athletes with some crazy looking tape on their shoulders or knees. I’m sure you’ve wondered “what it could possibly be doing?” or “why does it split like that?” or even “should they be competing if they need that much tape?”

Here’s a brief rundown on how this crazy stuff works! Have more questions? Call us; we’d love to hear from you!

How does KinesioTex Tape work?

The stretch in KinesioTex Tape is what makes it unique. Unlike white athletic tape, KinesioTex Tape can be made more or less aggressive by adjusting the amount of stretch used in an application. Additionally, the direction of the stretch can change how the body reacts to the tape. Applied beginning to end on a muscle, it encourages the muscle to work harder. Applied end to beginning, it encourages it to relax. Applied with high stretch, it provides physical support or compression to an area. Applied with low stretch, it can provide proprioceptive (positional) feedback around a joint, or decompress the tissue (lifting it up) for better fluid movement. A treatment protocol generally will consist of multiple applications over time, decreasing in aggressiveness as the body learns what it is supposed to be doing and takes over the proper function.

An important thing to remember with KinesioTex tape is that minor changes can affect what a treatment does. Simply copying the look of an application does not mean it will have the same effect. Because of this, treating the same problem may result in a different configuration of tape depending on your therapist’s assessment, even though they are treating the same issue as another therapist.

Why KinesioTex tape/ Kinesiotaping Association International (KTAI)?

KinesioTex tape is the original tape developed by Dr. Kinso Kase in the 1980’s in Japan. While other tapes now exist, such as KT Tape, Rock Tape, or various other generic brands, KinesioTex tape has the longest history and still holds multiple patents based on medical research. Additionally, the ongoing development of KinesioTex tape is carried out and taught by Doctors and Physical Therapists, so their ultimate goal is different from the tapes developed for use by athletes in competition. It is aimed primarily at returning clients and patients to normal function (rehabilitation), while KT Tape, Rock Tape, and many others are aimed at supporting athletes through a short term need such as a race or competition. While these often overlap, KinesioTex tape has a more comprehensive approach and is more useful to an everyday athlete. KinesioTex tape is the brand preferred by the Kinesiotaping Association International.

Conditions that may be helped:

-Swelling from injury

-Muscle imbalances:

-hip imbalance

-shoulder rotation

-ankle roll

-quad/hamstring imbalance

–Short term support during an active period (travel, competition, etc)

–Flexible Support of an area that shouldn’t be confined by a brace

-Chronic poor posture
-Ligament support

-MCL tear

-weak ankles

-Weak core support

-Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

-Golfer’s / Tennis Elbow

-Plantar Fasciitis

-Old injuries where conventional treatments are no longer producing improvement

KinesioTex Tape is not for everyone. It is designed to encourage or assist a problem area to return to “normal” function so the body can more easily heal itself. Severe injuries should still be assessed by a qualified health practitioner for a full treatment protocol, which may or may not include KinesioTex applications.

KinesioTex Tape is LATEX FREE.

Call or text 704-806-8380 to book a Kinesiotape session with Becca, or book a massage with Perry below.