Facebook Twitter Instagram
    ELITETRACK
    • Home
    • Articles
      • Endurance
      • Flexibility
      • Hurdles
      • Jumps
        • High Jump
        • Long Jump
        • Pole Vault
        • Triple Jump
      • Multi-Events
      • Periodization
      • Relays
      • Sports Science
        • Biomechanics
        • Coaching Science
        • Exercise Physiology
        • Muscle Dynamics
        • Nutrition
        • Restoration
        • Sport Psychology
      • Sprints
      • Strength Training
      • Throws
        • Discus
        • Hammer
        • Javelin
        • Shot Put
    • Blog
      • Mike Young’s Blog
      • Carl Valle’s Blog
      • John Evan’s Blog
      • Antonio Squillante’s Blog
      • Vern Gambetta’s Blog
      • John Grace’s Blog
      • Ryan Banta’s Blog
      • Guest Blog
    • Forums
    • Store
    • Log in
    ELITETRACK
    You are at:Home»Mike Young's Blog»Kinesiotaping

    Kinesiotaping

    0
    By Mike Young on August 20, 2008 Mike Young's Blog

    If you’ve been watching the Olympics, you’ve probably seen what appears to be gratuitous use of colored athletic tape all over the place. It’s everywhere. I’ve seen athletes in sports as varied as gymnastics, diving, and track wearing the colorful tape. It’s not a fashion statement and it’s not your dad’s athletic tape. It’s what’s called kinesiotaping. It’s a form of therapeutic aid that has it’s roots in aiding the disabled and neurologically impaired. In fact, it was developed more than 25 years ago by a Japanese chiropractor and only came to the States about a decade ago.

    My first exposure to kinesiotape was about 6 years ago when I was at LSU. One of our decathletes was having some hamstring problems that weren’t clearing up with the normal high level therapy so one of the doctors on staff used kinesiotape on his leg. The results were mixed. Then only a year later, the same doctor used a similar configuration of kinesiotape as seen on Kerri Walsh on my wife’s newly reconstructed shoulder . Again, the results were mixed, but even my wife says this is no indictment on the tape but likely more so on the extent of her injury.

    By this point you’re probably wondering what it does and what makes it any different than regular athletic tape. Well, first of all, the tape itself is kinda special. While the tape has no medicinal properties, it’s tensile strength is significantly higher and it has higher elastic properties than traditional athletic tape. As might be expected, this comes at a cost. It’s considerably more expensive than traditional athletic tape at around $15 a roll. Kinda expensive but for those athlete’s who’ve found success with it, the money is well spent. The other thing you’ll notice that’s different is the placement of the tape. Unlike traditional athletic tape jobs, kinesiotape is strategically placed to help assist in the joints action or treat a joint dysfunction. According to proponents, it can be used to provide support, relieve pain, improve circulation, reduce inflammation, relax or assist overstressed muscles, and correct dysfunctional muscle and joint actions.

    Unlike more rigid braces, kinesiotaping does not limit range of motion. And unlike traditional tape jobs, it isn’t compressive or constrictive- 2 things which can limit circulation and lymph flow and consequently impair function both acutely and long term (if healing is impaired). Kinesiotaping can be used on major muscle groups and smaller joints alike to treat such issues as carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fascitiis, and rotator cuff injuries.

    So far, I’m not aware of much research on its efficacy but I have seen it be quite helpful to several athletes. Is that a placebo affect? I can’t say. From a purely mechanical standpoint, the concept of some pieces of tape being able to provide the stated benefits appears to be somewhat doubtful BUT the same might be said for the power-transfer technology seen in many of the spandex tights worn by today’s top athletes and research has actually shown these to be effective at meeting their claims.
    Discuss entry

    gymnastics olympic games therapy volleyball
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Related Posts

    My Learning Milestones

    What’s Behind the Medals

    Meaningful Practice

    Like Us On Facebook
    - Facebook Members WordPress Plugin
    Highest Rated Posts
    • A Review of 400m Training Methods 79 votes, average: 4.92 out of 579 votes, average: 4.92 out of 579 votes, average: 4.92 out of 579 votes, average: 4.92 out of 579 votes, average: 4.92 out of 5 (4.92 out of 5)
    • 2008 Olympics: Usain’s Insane 100m 67 votes, average: 4.96 out of 567 votes, average: 4.96 out of 567 votes, average: 4.96 out of 567 votes, average: 4.96 out of 567 votes, average: 4.96 out of 5 (4.96 out of 5)
    • Top 10 Myths of Sprinting Mechanics 66 votes, average: 4.74 out of 566 votes, average: 4.74 out of 566 votes, average: 4.74 out of 566 votes, average: 4.74 out of 566 votes, average: 4.74 out of 5 (4.74 out of 5)
    • 14 reasons why Jamaica is the Sprint Capitol of the World 59 votes, average: 4.85 out of 559 votes, average: 4.85 out of 559 votes, average: 4.85 out of 559 votes, average: 4.85 out of 559 votes, average: 4.85 out of 5 (4.85 out of 5)
    • 12 Reasons to Squat Year Round 58 votes, average: 4.86 out of 558 votes, average: 4.86 out of 558 votes, average: 4.86 out of 558 votes, average: 4.86 out of 558 votes, average: 4.86 out of 5 (4.86 out of 5)
    • 6 Reasons Why All Athletes Should Sprint 63 votes, average: 4.32 out of 563 votes, average: 4.32 out of 563 votes, average: 4.32 out of 563 votes, average: 4.32 out of 563 votes, average: 4.32 out of 5 (4.32 out of 5)
    • 4 Tips for Keeping up with Sport Science Research 65 votes, average: 4.03 out of 565 votes, average: 4.03 out of 565 votes, average: 4.03 out of 565 votes, average: 4.03 out of 565 votes, average: 4.03 out of 5 (4.03 out of 5)
    • Loren Seagrave’s thoughts on Absolute Strength 54 votes, average: 4.80 out of 554 votes, average: 4.80 out of 554 votes, average: 4.80 out of 554 votes, average: 4.80 out of 554 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5 (4.80 out of 5)
    • 6 Reasons Why Jamaicans Dominate the Sprints 50 votes, average: 4.78 out of 550 votes, average: 4.78 out of 550 votes, average: 4.78 out of 550 votes, average: 4.78 out of 550 votes, average: 4.78 out of 5 (4.78 out of 5)
    • Developing Endurance in Speed-Power Athletes 58 votes, average: 4.09 out of 558 votes, average: 4.09 out of 558 votes, average: 4.09 out of 558 votes, average: 4.09 out of 558 votes, average: 4.09 out of 5 (4.09 out of 5)
    Recent Topics
    • ?Where I can start in multievents trainig?
    • Josh Hurlebaus Masters Training Log
    • How and when do hamstring injuries occur?
    • How and when do hamstring injuries occur?
    • Which fitness equipment do you use to exercise?
    About

    ELITETRACK is one of the longest standing sport training & conditioning sites on the web. We feature over 250 articles and 1000s of blog posts from some of the most knowledgeable and experienced track & field coaches on the web.

    Recent Posts
    • Training Dos & Don’ts #2: Hard/Easy
    • Training Dos & Don’ts: PAL Paradigm (Running Technical Model)
    • Food For Thought
    • Five Soccer Players That Could Have Made Careers In Track and Field
    • 4 Great Reasons to Study to Become a Personal Trainer
    Forum Activity
    • rudeboy on ?Where I can start in multievents trainig?
    • Pablo25 on How and when do hamstring injuries occur?
    • Josh Hurlebaus on Josh Hurlebaus Masters Training Log
    • Josh Hurlebaus on Josh Hurlebaus Masters Training Log
    • Josh Hurlebaus on Josh Hurlebaus Masters Training Log
    ELITETRACK by Human Performance Consulting, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 2015.
    ELITETRACK by Human Performance Consulting, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 2021.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.