Kinesiology tape – more than just a pretty pattern

Thanks to my accountant Alick, I have just discovered kinesiology tape! He told me it was amazing stuff he had used to help his wrist which he had recently broken.

So, off I schlepped to the local sports shop to find out more. I asked where it was and was directed to the shelf. I left totally amazed that this word kinesiology, that most people have not heard, was being recognised in a sports context. Wow!

As soon as I clocked it, I instantly remembered seeing it and I am sure that you will too. Cast your mind back to this year’s Olympics and you will probably have seen athletes wearing colourful strips of tape on their bodies – shoulders, biceps, triceps and quads.

So home I came to Google search some more. I wanted to find out how it was linked to the kinesiology that I know. Was it linked to the meridians or just the muscles? What was its purpose? More importantly did it work? And why had I not noticed it before?

Previously known as “athletic tape”, it’s been around for some time and was first discovered by a Japanese chiropractor called Dr Kenzo Kase in 1979. Thereafter, it was adopted by the Japanese Olympic team in 1988.

So what’s it like and what does it do?

Its an elastic cotton tape with adhesive backing to it that comes in lots of colours and is either precut or on a roll.

Google tells me that the benefits of the tape are as follows:

greater muscle movement

reduced muscle fatigue

reduced delayed-onset of muscle soreness

inhibits pain

enhances muscle healing

improves lymph drainage and blood flow

alignment of weak muscles due to spring in the tape

better movement of joints

Guinea Pig

My other half has been testing it out for me on a foot problem. He has gone for the bright turquoise blue version. It is stretchy and you can apply it neutrally or with stretch. And it seems to be working! He reports that his foot feels better supported.

As for me, I am delighted about the awareness that this is generating for kinesiology and the link it has established with muscles. The fact that it is colourful is another bonus as I think that contributes to the healing process too.

However, it is not necessarily a substitute for medical treatment of a serious problem and I would definitely recommend you get yourself checked out.