The quick reply is: If in case you have a younger athlete targeted on harm prevention, rehabilitation after an harm, or ache administration, kinesio tape could possibly assist. But it surely’s not a treatment all – it must be used alongside different therapies.
To know how kinesio tape can assist athletes, let’s dive into the fundamentals: what it’s, the way it works, advantages and disadvantages:
What’s Kinesio Tape?
Kinesio tape, additionally referred to as KT tape and kinesiology tape, is a stretchy, therapeutic health tape. It has been round for the reason that Seventies and might stretch between 100-180% its size.
How does it work?
Completely different from athletic tape, kinesio tape is versatile and light-weight, shifting with the physique relatively than limiting it. Designed to raise the pores and skin, KT tape might improve blood circulate and scale back muscle soreness and ache. On the similar time, it helps muscle mass, tendons and ligaments when positioned correctly.
For this reason it’s essential to work with a doctor, athletic coach, or bodily therapist. They may know how you can use various ranges of rigidity and stretch alongside the tendons and joints to achieve the specified outcomes.
How can KT tape assist my athlete?
There are 4 principal methods we’d use KT tape to assist teenagers:
1. Help for weakened muscle mass and tendons
Kinesio tape might present further help for weakened muscle mass and tendons. As an illustration, many soccer gamers have a muscular imbalance of their legs, as a result of pressure of working and kicking. Their posterior chain, together with hamstrings, are sometimes weaker than the remainder of their legs. Inserting KT tape on their hamstrings might enhance proprioception (unconscious consciousness of 1’s physique place) and optimize muscle recruitment for higher management throughout motion.
2. Rehabilitation after an harm
Swelling and bruising are widespread negative effects after an harm. KT tape could also be positioned strategically to cut back swelling by lifting the pores and skin, draining lymphatic fluid and enhancing blood circulate.
3. Ache administration
The raise and help of KT tape might present some non permanent ache aid for sore joints.
4. Bracing
KT tape may be helpful for athletes who take part in sports activities the place the atmosphere or gear limits them from carrying a brace. This might embrace sports activities like swimming, diving, gymnastics, martial arts, area hockey, and so on.
What are the potential negative effects of utilizing KT tape?
Whereas KT tape is usually thought of a secure remedy, it may possibly doubtlessly trigger the next negative effects:
- Redness, swelling, irritation, and alter of pores and skin coloration the place it’s utilized.
- Strain and tightness of the pores and skin.
- Problem eradicating from the pores and skin.
- Harm or an infection to pores and skin if utilized over a wound.
Are there any downsides to utilizing KT tape?
Many of the advantages we’ve seen in sufferers have been anecdotal. There haven’t been scientific research on the long-term effectiveness of kinesio tape. Additional, we’ve not seen important enhancements in athletic efficiency, nor has it considerably sped up restoration time. It may also be costly.
The Backside Line:
Kinesio tape has a spot within the athlete’s toolbox, nevertheless it shouldn’t be the one device, particularly when confronted with an acute harm or power ache. A medical skilled ought to information the usage of KT tape, together with a complete therapy or restoration plan.
Able to schedule an appointment?
The Sport Drugs Division at Cincinnati Kids’s focuses on the foundation explanation for acute accidents and power joint pains, and prescribes multifaceted ache administration plans, rehabilitative measures, harm prevention instruments, and return to sport plans.
