What Is Kinesio Tape & How Do Chiropractors Use It?
You may have seen professional athletes, dancers, gymnasts, and others who engage in extremely physical activities using a type of tape on various points of their bodies. It is sometimes colored and does not seem to inhibit range of motion. While it looks like tape, or maybe a very fancy bandage, it is actually a highly technical, specialized tape that is used to treat patients of all ages and activity levels. It is called Kinesio tape and it is often used by chiropractors to help treat certain injuries.
What is kinesiology tape?
Kinesiology tape is a therapeutic tape that is thin and stretchy and is designed to promote movement as opposed to immobilizing an injured region of the body. Kinesiology tape is used to help relieve a patient’s pain, reduce swelling and inflammation, provide structural support to joints and muscles, and enhance athletic performance. While it is most often used as a sports tape for injured athletes, it can also be used in the healthcare settings to address a wide variety of inflammatory conditions or to speed recovery after surgery.
How long does kinesiology taping take to work?
Every patient is different so naturally the response from patient to patient will be variable. From a clinical standpoint, there are two critical healing components of recovery that kinesiology taping can help maintain. These are, increasing blood flow and preserving or restoring proper range of motion. Kinesiology tape is designed to offer support and stabilize an injured region of the body without limiting blood flow or range of motion..
What is kinesiology tape used for?
Treating injuries – Physical therapists sometimes use kinesiology taping as one part of an overall treatment plan for people who’ve been injured. The American Physical Therapy Association reports that kinesiology taping is most effective when it’s used in conjunction with other treatments like manual therapy.Trusted Source
Supporting weak zones –Kinesiology tape is also used to add extra support to muscles or joints that need it. If you have patellofemoral stress syndrome, IT band friction syndrome, or Achilles tendonitis, kinesiology taping might help you.
Unlike white medical or athletic tape, kinesiology tape lets you move normally. In fact, some studies show that it can enhance movement and endurance. Studies on athletes have shown that when kinesiology tape is used on fatigued muscles, performance improves.
Re-educating muscles – Kinesiology tape can help re-train muscles that have lost function or that have gotten used to an unhealthy way of working.
For example, kinesiology taping can be used to correct posture in your head and neck.Trusted Source And a 2017 study supports using it to help stroke patients improve the way they walk.Trusted Source.
Physical therapists think this may be because having the strange sensation of tape on your skin can make you more aware of how you’re standing or moving.
Enhancing performance – Some athletes use kinesiology taping to help them achieve peak performance and protect against injury when they’re competing in special events.