To follow I highlight the benefits of Kinesiology Tape, aka the coloured sports tape, that we often see on athletes. It is becoming more popular amongst across many sports and people to support recovery from injury and strains and also to treat general “aches and pains”.
When treating my aim is to provide my clients with a window of opportunity that allows them to feel better, move easier and enjoy increased pain free movement. This is to help the healing process for acute (recent) pain from injuries, strains or operations and chronic (longer-term) pain. The use of taping (always at the end of a treatment) is an adjunct to hands-on treatments to continue to support healing, movement, doing rehab exercises and reduce pain.
There are many benefits of taping, which have all been demonstrated in research and studies, although it must be noted that the overall evidence remains inconclusive about the efficacy taping mostly because the exact mechanisms of how the tape may work remain unproven.
The benefits of taping can be:
Distraction
Taping on the skin can interfere with painful signals which are directed to the brain (1) and so this helps to change how the brain interprets and deals with the pain. You may have heard me explain that when we are in pain our sensory awareness of the affected area of the body is heightened and taping can turn down the pain volume.Increases our proprioception & delays muscle fatigue
Taping can provide a positive feeling of support, body co-ordination and control positively influencing our proprioception (click here for an article to explain this) and so allows us to move better as if we weren’t hurt, helping to activate muscles and so helps the healing process.It can also reduce muscle fatigue. When doing rehab exercises this is very important, not only for the parts of the body that are currently hurting, but also for the surrounding areas. as they help to pick up the slack for muscles that are currently not working well.
Distributes the forces of movement
The tape allows full movement of a taped area. The tape has elastic properties and quick recoil and it can help distribute forces to other nearby areas through the fascia, ligaments and bones.Decompresses an area of swelling and inflammation
When tape is applied to the skin, it has a small lifting effect underneath the skin, so creates more space in between the many layers of myofascial tissue under the skin and this can help inflammed areas by speeding up the exchange of fluids in the area.If you have any questions about taping and would like to discuss how it could help you please get in touch - call 07738257873 or email with any questions or to book your appointment, plus you can book online.
Nicky Holbrook
November 2023
(1) Rocktape - www.rocktape.co.uk/how-it-works/