This years Olympians are adorned with neon shoes, and pink, blue and assorted colored tape placed strategically on their bodies. You might be wondering about the purpose of this tape aside from the artistic application.
It’s called kinesio tape, and it is different than athletic tape in that it has stretch to it and does not inhibit movement. This ability makes it the tape of choice to facilitate or help overused or injured muscles perform optimally. The patterns used correspond to the underlying muscles being treated. So far, scientific research shows only limited proof of the effectiveness of the tape, but the anecdotal reports of its benefits are strong.
Kinesio tape cannot function alone to help an athlete heal or perform better. An effective treatment plan for injuries should also include stretching, joint mobilizations, soft tissue techniques, therapeutic exercise and sport specific training.
Physical therapy and kinesio tape for injuries , optimal performance, and Olympic gold!
For more information on a variety of physiotherapy taping techniques
Check out Physioadvisor