What is Kinesiology taping and how can it help you!?

What is Kinesiology taping and how can it help you!?

Kinesiology taping is the buzzword of the sporting world at the moment, with athletes flashing strips of colourful tape across their body. But what does it do and how can it help you?

Most conventional strapping tape is non-elastic and is so tightly wrapped around a joint that it restricts movement. Kinesiology tape however, is a thin, stretchy, elastic cotton strip with an acrylic adhesive that allows you to maintain a functional range of movement whilst still providing support to your joints and muscles for up to 5 days.

So what does it do?

When you suffer from an injury, the body sets off an inflammatory response to protect the body, which often leads to symptoms such as pain, swelling, heat and redness as well as restrictions in joint mobility. Kinesiology taping has been shown to aid the body’s natural response to inflammation by microscopically lifting the skin, to create more interstitial space to aid lymphatic flow to reduce inflammation as well as aiding blood flow to aid recovery and repair.

Inflammation causes an increase in pressure to the site of injury which irritates the pain receptors and so pain is perceived; the lifting effect of the tape therefore helps to decompress nerve endings, lymph and blood vessels, therefore helping to alleviate pain.

How can it help you?

• Relieves pain.
• Reduces swelling, inflammation and bruising.
• Prevents and relieves muscle spasms and cramps.
• Speeds recovery of fatigued, overused muscles.
• Provides a structural support for weakened or injured body parts.
• Assists the re-education of the neuromuscular system.
• Allow most athletes to remain active while injured.
• Increases proprioception (Your body’s ability to sense stimuli regarding position, motion and equilibrium).
• Helps to prevent further injury.
• Psychological benefits.

Please note that kinesiology taping should be used in conjunction with rehabilitative treatment for an injury and is therefore used as a valuable addition to treatment protocol. For more information about an injury that you are suffering from and whether treatment and kinesiology taping is right for you then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Melanie Harrison
07727666312
[email protected]
www.melharrisonosteopath.co.uk