I’ve just attended a two-day seminar using Kinesio Tape, here’s their website. The tape is flexible so it doe not restrict the wearer from moving normally and it comes in various pretty colours as highlighted by several athletes in the olympics.
We were taught the theory;
- If the tape is applied under tension it can help a weak or torn muscle work better and they claim the wearer can continue to play sport/do activities without further damaging the muscle.
- If applied with no tension it is supposed to lift the skin and fascia which aids lymph flow, so if there is swelling around an injury it will help the lymph remove the swelling more rapidly.
Although it feels like the tape helps a muscle when applied to me and they have good pictures showing the tape reduce swelling and bruises the research is not as yet of good enough quality to make any definite claims.
I will be using it when it seems appropriate (along with all my other treatments) and will try to carefully assess if it is of any benefit….