For many types of injuries, there are devices and garments used to assist with the healing process. For instance, crutches are used to keep the weight off a sprained ankle, or a soft cervical collar prevents excessive neck movement while recovering from whiplash. But for some injuries, specialized tape is what you need to get back to your physical activities.
Kinesiology and sport taping are commonly used as treatment options for injuries that affect mobility and flexibility. At REPAIR SI, we use kinesiology and sport taping to help you complete your daily tasks while reducing pain and providing support to your joints and muscles that have been affected by an injury.
The Basics of Kinesiology
Kinesiology and sport taping both refer to bands of material that are used by physical therapists to help patients heal from an injury or alleviate pain. But there are significant differences between the two.
Kinesiology taping refers to the use of an elastic therapeutic tape to help facilitate muscle movement that has been affected by an injury or physical disorder. It’s a blend of nylon and cotton that mimics your skin’s elasticity to allow for increased mobility. It’s applied in shapes to target specific areas and issues.
The stretchy tape is most often used by athletes, but it can help anyone who is experiencing joint or muscle pain.
Kinesiology tape can offer many benefits to physical therapy patients, including:
- Reduced pain.
- Increased circulation.
- Decreased swelling and bruising.
- Reeducated muscles during movement patterns.
- Improved athletic performance.
The Basics of Sport Taping
Sport taping, also known as athletic taping, is a non-elastic material that provides support after a sports injury. Unlike kinesiology tape, sport taping is nonflexible and provides compression to reduce range of motion and stabilize joints during active injuries. The tape is meant to wrap around an affected area as opposed to placed on top like kinesiology tape.
It’s important to note that sports tape isn’t meant to be worn for an extended period of time as a long-term solution. It’s used during an activity for support then removed afterward.
There are several benefits of using sport taping, including:
- Reducing joint movement to avoid worsening pain.
- Decreasing swelling with compression.
- Reducing risk of re-injury.
REPAIR SI Can Help Your Injuries With Kinesiology and Sport Taping
Both kinesiology tape and sport tape help you heal from an injury, but they work in different ways. While kinesiology tape increases your muscle movement, sport tape decreases it. At REPAIR SI, our physical therapists will help determine which type of taping works best for your needs based on the type and severity of your injury.
Both kinesiology and sport taping are usually used in combination with other physical therapy treatment options to help alleviate your pain as well as increase the strength, flexibility and range of motion in the affected area.
If you’re interested in discovering how you can benefit from kinesiology and sport taping, reach out to our team today for more information or schedule an initial appointment.