Muscle pain and weakness? Kinesio tape could be the answer.
Muscle pain and weakness? Kinesio tape could be the answer.
The 2016 Olympics and Paralympics were a riot of colour. Rio’s carnival atmosphere captured us all, but so did the criss-cross of multi-coloured tape that seemed to adorn so many of the athlete’s bodies. From shoulders to legs, backs and everything in-between. Kinesiology (Kinesio) tape played a critical role in helping competitors cope with muscle pain and weakness.
But, Kinesio tape is not just for professional athletes. Life Chiropractic Clinic massage therapist Dean West, who is based at our Rayleigh practice, uses it successfully on a wide range of patients. From those who struggle to manage muscle pain, experience muscle weakness, need to reduce inflammation or are simply looking for a more effective way to relax their muscles.
Kinesio Tape – A quick background
In 1979 Japanese chiropractor Dr Kenzo Kase, was working with sumo wrestlers. He needed to find a treatment for their strenuous activity. It had to be robust enough to cope with the frequent injuries to so many areas; including knee, hamstring, ankle, shoulder and spine.
Through his chiropractic practice he discovered that if tape was applied to the pain it would lift the epidermis slightly, and allow blood to flow more easily to the injured area.
Fast forward almost 40 years, and this waterproof, pain free tape (which comes in a wide range of colours, from low-key beige, to Serena Williams bright pink) is proven to offer protection to injured muscles and joints. A study in 2008 supported this, with 42% of people with shoulder problems indicating that Kinesio taping offered immediate pain relief*.
“I provide massage therapy treatment to patients who suffer from a wide range of musculoskeletal ailments and require regular treatment to help manage ongoing knee, hip, ankle, foot and spine pain. The result of wearing Kinesiology (Kinesio) tape for these patients can be quite extraordinary,” explains Dean West, massage therapist and advocate of Kinesio Tape at Life Chiropractic’s Rayleigh clinic.
“Applied correctly it can provide immediate pain relief, improve your range of motion, aid healing and improve posture.”
Considering Kinesio tape? Here’s 4 reasons you should:
- Prevent injury
Whether keen amateur athlete, or gentle walker, it’s a fact of life that muscles can become fatigued and injured. By understand your bodies weak spots, and using Kinesio tape where necessary it is possible to support your muscles, relieving fatigue, preventing cramping, and reducing the risk of suffering an injury. Meaning you can keep doing the things you love. - Stabilise joints
Using Kinesio tape as part of a chiropractic or massage therapy treatment programme ensures joints are stabilised during the healing process, without the need to restrict movement. Applied correctly, the tape actually works to increase the range of motion in your joints and loosen your muscles. Preventing further damage and speeding recovery. - Natural pain relief
The more blood can be allowed to flow around injured, over-worked or damaged body tissue, the less pain you’ll experience and the quicker it will heal. Unlike traditional taping methods (which constrict and prevent movement) Kinesio taping works in the opposite way. Opening up your muscles, and allowing full movement. Improving blood circulation and lymphatic drainage to reduce inflammation without the use of medicine. - Correct posture
Posture is hard to correct due to muscle memory, no matter how hard you try to remember to sit up straight. But, by combining hands on chiropractic and massage therapy, at-home corrective exercises and Kineosio tape treatment patients are finding treatment more effective. Pain is reduced, and vitally the postural flaws that keep causing the pain are more likely to be rectified too.
Talk to us about the benefits of Kinesio tape and how it can complement your chiropractic massage therapy treatment programme
Call today to arrange an appointment or visit our website to book online.
Learn more:
*Discover more about Kinesio Tape in this article from The Guardian
**Read more about Kinesio Tape, and its effective treatment of postural problems, curved spine and back pain
