More about kinesio taping
Kinesio taping, or kinesiology tape therapy, is a therapeutic method used for:
- Sports injuries
- Chronic muscle, point and connective tissue pain
Kinesiology tapes are also used as a means of preventing muscle injuries.
At Medicofit, kinesiology tapes are used as part of kinesiotherapy in combination with individual therapeutic exercise.
What problems does kinesio taping solve?
Kinesio taping reduces pain, improves muscle tone, prevents venous and lymphatic congestion, improves vascularization, improves joint mechanics, and positively affects posture.
The method uses a kinesiology tape
Kinesiology tape is a fine material made of cotton and elastic fibers and is similar to skin. Different therapeutic adhesive techniques are used to elicit the desired body response at the site of application of the tapes, thereby the locally present pathology of the musculoskeletal system.
Kinesiology tapes exert a positive effect on reducing pain and promoting blood and lymphatic circulation at the injection site.
Kinesiology tapes also improve proprioception, or the perception of body positions during movement, which contributes to better injury prevention.
Kinesiology tapes are made of a thin layer of cotton on which an acrylic adhesive is applied in a cylindrical shape, protected by an outer layer of paper. They are similar to skin in terms of stretching in length only, up to 40 % of their basic length. In addition to being similar in thickness to skin, kinesio taping tapes are also waterproof.
When applying kinesio tapes, it is essential to know the directions in which the skin extends on a particular area of the body, as this is the only way to achieve the maximum therapeutic effect of the kinesio taping method. The kinesiology tape functions as we move, and as the length of the muscle changes, the tape stretches and shortens, stimulating receptors in all layers of the skin.
The elastic properties of the kinesiology tape lift the top and middle layer of the skin above the rest of the structures, creating more inter-tissue space underneath. The mechanism of increased inter-tissue volume locally increases lymphatic and blood circulation, as well as irritating skin receptors that signal changes in the injured area to the brain in the form of increased pressure, leading to hormonal and neural responses that enhance the healing of the injured tissue.
