| Kinesiology Tape is a type of elastic therapeutic | | | | worn for several days at a time. It can also be |
| tape that was invented in the 1970s, a Japanese | | | | worn while bathing or swimming. |
| Chiropractor. | | | | The tape is applied to the skin in specific patterns, |
| In recent years, kinesiology tape, or kinesio | | | | depending on the injury. It requires a |
| athletic tape as it's also referred to, has taken off | | | | knowledgeable practitioner to work effectively. It |
| in popularity. Top athletes like soccer star David | | | | provides stability and support to muscles and |
| Beckham, cyclist Lance Armstrong, Olympic | | | | joints and can be used to prevent or treat edema |
| volleyball champion Kerri Walsh, and many other | | | | (swelling) and pain management. |
| Olympic athletes have been spotted wearing | | | | Is the effectiveness of Kinesiology Tape just a |
| colorful strips of the tape, strategically applied to | | | | myth or can its healing powers be supported by |
| support and help heal muscles while they exercise. | | | | scientific study? In fact, they can. A study of |
| Kinesiology is basically a therapeutic taping | | | | inured athletes in the Journal of Orthopedic & |
| technique which is superior to older taping | | | | Sports Physical Therapy, in which half the |
| techniques which used stiff, rigid athletic tape that | | | | participants were treated with Kinesiology Tape |
| caused skin irritation and reduced circulation. | | | | and half were treated with a fake version of the |
| Kinesiology Tape, in contrast, is light, as flexible as | | | | tape, showed that the participants who received |
| skin, and uses a non-irritating adhesive. In many | | | | the real treatment all reported immediate |
| ways it acts as an extra layer of skin, supporting | | | | lessening of their pain. |
| the muscles and ligaments beneath it. Old style | | | | Another scientific study showed that use of the |
| athletic taping also required layers of bandages | | | | tape increases range of motion. |
| wrapped around the skin, and could only be worn | | | | This tape, of course, is useful not just for |
| for short periods of time because it was | | | | professional athletes, but for everyone with a |
| constricting. | | | | muscle or ligament injury and even those who |
| Kinesiology Tape, unlike the old style tape, can be | | | | simply work out regularly. |