kinesio taping - Hope Rehab Katy

KINESIO TAPING
Maria Drews, PT
Hope Rehab Katy
MORE THAN JUST COOL LOOKING TAPE
R
ecently professional and amateur
athletes alike have been seen
wearing colorful tape on different
areas of their body. During the 2012
London Olympics, athletes were commonly
seen with the tape on their arms, legs,
stomach and back. What is this tape and
why are they wearing it?
Kinesio tape is an elastic therapeutic tape
that is applied over and around muscles
and joints. It is very light, thin and flexible
and is water resistant. It is available
from several manufacturers and some
of the brands out there include KT Tape,
Spidertech and Kinesio Tex.
Kinesio tape is applied over muscles to
reduce pain and swelling, relax overused
muscles and to support muscles in
movement on a 24 hour a day basis. “A
lot of athletes like it because there are
no chemicals and it is a natural healing
mechanism that tells different receptors
to deactivate a little bit if the muscle gets
too tight”, says Adam Halpern, Education
Director for Kinesio, one of the pioneers
in the industry. Kinesio taping permits
a person to have full pain free range of
motion while providing support to the
injured muscles. It allows individuals to
return to activity quicker and is believed
to reduce muscle fatigue, increase range
of motion and facilitate better quality
of muscle contraction. It is effective for
approximately 3 days even after sweating,
showering or swimming.
Kinesio tape can be used to help rehab
or prevent further injury to an area
that is starting to feel painful. A few
common injuries that kinesio tape can
be used with include hamstring strains,
shin splints, shoulder pain (rotator cuff
strain/tendonitis), low back strain, knee
instability/pain, headaches and ankle
sprains. Kinesio tape can also be used on
almost any part of the body to help reduce
pain and swelling.
If you are interested in learning more
about how Kinesio taping can help you,
contact Hope Rehab Katy and schedule
an appointment with one of our physical
therapists. After an evaluation, you can
learn if kinesio taping would be helpful
for you. If you are a candidate for Kinesio
taping, we can instruct you on the proper
techniques for application. Kinesio tape is
available in our clinic for purchase.
• Orthopedic & Sports Rehab
• Vestibular & Balance Rehab
• Hand Therapy & custom splinting
• Aquatic Therapy
• Swim Stroke Analysis
• Wellness/Fitness/Pool Program
• Dry Needling
• Massage Therapy
Barb Boyett, PT - Owner
21938 Royal Montreal Drive • Katy, TX 77450
Phone: 281.944.0001 • Fax: 281.944.0002
www.hoperehabkaty.com