With the Rio Olympics now underway, let’s talk about what most athletes will be wearing…
In most sports now, you may have seen the use of coloured tape on different body parts. This is known as dynamic tape or kineseotape.
What does this coloured tape actually do?
There are many different applications for kineseotape, which can make it a very useful adjunct to physiotherapy management. It certainly doesn’t replace the use of other modalities, but it can be very useful as it offers different benefits.
In my next few blogs, I will go through some of my favourite applications for kineseotape.
One of my primary uses of kineseotape is for the reduction in pain.
If a patient presents with an acute muscle strain, lets say a calf tear, I can apply it directly to the skin to give immediate pain relief.
How does this work ?
By putting a piece of tape on the skin, we know the superficial fascia (the layer immediately below skin) will be encouraged to glide more freely, as if an injury hadn’t taken place.
This is a simple explanation only. Research is still evolving in this area.
For the time being, as a physio, I am happy to have another tool which can help reduce a patient’s pain.
If you see any of our athletes with coloured tape on their leg or arm during the Olympics, perhaps it is for pain relief.
