Kinesiology Taping

Created in the 1970’s by Dr. Kenzo Kase, Kinesiology Tape substantially accelerates the healing process for sporting injuries and inflammatory conditions, and can be left on the muscle and/or joint for up to five days.
Kinesiology Tape allows the athlete to continue to move within their full range of motion and is waterproof meaning that Kinesiology Tape can provide its benefits to the injury site 24 hours a day.
This form of taping, which is also widely used for injury prevention, has many therapeutic benefits which are:

 

  • Pain Relief: Kinesiology Tape eases pain by targeting both the body’s physical and neurological systems. The tape works by lifting the fascia and easing the pressure that is placed on the pain receptors that lie directly underneath the skin, thus allowing a fast relief from acute sporting injuries. For chronic injuries, the pain is targeted through sensory stimulation via various nerve fibres. The tape has proved successful for injuries where the pain is excessive in relation to the severity of the injury.
  • Decreased Inflammation and Bruising: Kinesiology Tape can assist with reducing inflammation and bruising by decreasing pressure on the lymphatic drainage mechanism. This in turn increases the ejection of unwanted fluids and materials that gather at the injured site. Kinesiology Taping techniques are not just restricted to sporting injuries as the technique can be very beneficial for inflammatory conditions, such as the extreme swelling of lymphedema.
  • Relief from Muscle Spasms and Cramping: With the Kinesiology Tape facilitating the lifting action of the body’s fascia, there is enhanced circulation to the muscles that are taped which assists with delivering oxygen and other vital nutrients to the area and, in turn, increases the removal of waste products. This together helps relieve spasms and cramps in overused or injured muscles. Kinesiology Tape is also used for the prevention of cramping and muscle spasms.
  • Recovery: Muscles that are fatigued or overused contain waste products such as lactic acid. Lactic acid contributes to the stiffness and pain felt in the muscle resulting in the athlete limiting their physical activity. When Kinesiology Tape is applied over the fatigued/overused muscles, it encourages the removal of these waste products producing a more rapid recovery. This will lead to a better performance in endurance based sporting events and/or a more efficient recovery between events of repetitive, high intensity.
  • Support: Kinesiology Tape holds unique elastic properties which offer support to an injured joint or muscle that has experienced trauma. The tape will dissuade the joint or muscle from producing a harmful movement, whilst still allowing for a vital safe and natural range of motion.
  • Improving Weak/Injured Muscle Strength and Tone: Losing strength in a muscle or muscle tone can be a direct result of an injury, muscular pain, muscular disorders or neurological disorders. If this is the case, weakness from these muscles can restrict the athlete’s willingness and ability to complete the exercises that are vital to their injury rehabilitation and ensure that their daily functioning is fully recovered. Here, the benefits of Kinesiology Tape are twofold; it supports the injured area and advances neurological muscular activation. The Kinesiology Tape is essential at providing support, resulting in therapeutic exercises being carried out successfully.
  • Remaining Active While Injured: The most crucial benefit of Kinesiology Tape for any competitive athlete is that it allows them to continue training for their sports whilst rehabilitating an injury, providing the injury isn’t severe. The injury is taped to relieve the pain, reduce inflammation and support both injured and uninjured structures without obstructing the safe and health range of motion. This is one of the most important benefits for both amateur and elite athletes.

LMM Sports Therapy

A practical and professional sports therapy service since 2014.

lmmsportstherapy@gmail.com

 

07950 117 783

 

Ripon | Harrogate | North Yorkshire