Page updated 8/15/09
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Lymphland International Lymphedema Online
| Kinesio Taping gives support and stability to your joints and muscles without affecting circulation and range of motion. It is also used for Preventive Maintenance, Edema, and Pain Management. Kinesio Taping is a technique based on the body's own natural healing process. This Kinesio Taping exhibits its efficacy through the activation of neurological and circulatory systems. This method basically stems from the science of Kinesiology, hence the name "Kinesio". Muscles are not only attributed to the movements of the body but also control the circulation of venous and lymph flows, body temperature, etc. Therefore, the failure of the muscles to function properly induces various kinds of symptoms. Consequently, so much attention was given to the importance of muscle function that the idea of treating the muscles in order to activate the body's own healing process came about. Using an elastic tape, it was discovered that muscles and other tissues could be helped by outside assistance. Employment of Kinesio Taping creates a totally new approach to treating nerves, muscles, and organs. The first application of Kinesio Taping was for a patient with articular disorders. For the first 10 years, orthopedists, chiropractors, acupuncturists and other medical practitioners were the main users of Kinesio Taping. Soon thereafter, Kinesio Taping was used by the Japanese Olympic volleyball players and word quickly spread to other athletes. Today, Kinesio Taping is accepted by medical practitioners and athletes in Japan, United States, Europe, South America and other Asian countries. The Kinesio Taping Method is applied over muscles to reduce pain and inflammation, relax overused tired muscles, and to support muscles in movement on a 24hr/day basis. It is non-restrictive type of taping which allows for full range of motion. In contrast, traditional sports' taping is wrapped around a joint strictly for stabilization and support during a sporting event obstructing the flow of bodily fluids... an UNDESIRABLE side-effect. Kinesio Tape is used for anything from headaches to foot problems and everything in between. Examples include: muscular facilitation or inhibition in pediatric patients, carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back strain/pain (subluxations, herniated disc), knee conditions, shoulder conditions, hamstring, groin injury, rotator cuff injury, whiplash, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, patella tracking, pre and post surgical edema, ankle sprains, athletic preventative injury method, and as a support method. http://www.kinesiotape.ca/whatitdoes.htm ---------------------------- Taping Injuries TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- There's a new type of tape in town. Volleyball player Kerri Walsh sported it at the Olympics. In his new book, champion cyclist Lance Armstrong swears by it. But Kinesio tape isn't just for professional athletes. The elastic woven material is also helping patients in physical therapy recover from injuries. For 22-year-old Carlos Villamizar, working out at the gym isn't a chore. It's a passion. "It is an important part of my life," Villamizar told Ivanhoe. But last year, lifting weights became nearly impossible. "I felt like someone had stabbed me in the back with a knife," Villamizar recalled. A pinched nerve caused the muscles in his upper back to weaken. Villamizar was told surgery wasn't an option, and it would take two years to heal. "Two years was not acceptable in my standards," he said. Instead of waiting, he turned to physical therapy and a special tape. Kinesio tape is stretched and placed on the skin over injured muscles and joints. "You can apply this tape in such a manner that it will help to aid the contraction of that muscle group," Christopher Stavres, a physical therapist from Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare in Tallahassee, Fla., told Ivanhoe. The tape improves circulation and helps remove painful fluid buildup. "As the Kinesio tape recoils, what it does is that it then creates these convolutions along the skin, which relieve that pressure," Stavres said. "Nothings a cure-all," Trent Nessler, P.T., D.P.T., M.P.T, managing director at Baptist Sports Medicine in Nashville, Tenn., told Ivanhoe. But Nessler agrees Kinesio tape can have an impact when combined with other therapies. "It's another great tool that we can use as a part of a well-comprehensive program," Nessler said. Villamizar has been using the tape for three months. Today, he's back lifting weights. "To get back in the gym, it's been, it's key to me," he explained. Villamizar wears the tape for two weeks at a time. The tape typically stays on for three to five days before needing to be reapplied. It is made of 100 percent cotton fibers, and it stays on in the shower. A roll costs about $15 and is applied by a specially-trained physical therapist. For additional research on this article, click here. Sign up for a free weekly e-mail on Medical Breakthroughs called First to Know by clicking here. If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Melissa Medalie at mmedalie@ivanhoe.com. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Christopher Stavres, PT Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Tallahassee, FL Christopher.stavres@tmh.org http://www.tmh.org -------------------- |