If you have ever been curious about the colorful and patterned tapes used by athletes all over their joints and injuries, they are called Kinesiology tapes or abbreviated as K-tapes. K-tapes come in different colors, patterns and sizes, and are suited for treating a large variety of muscular injuries across the body. They are widely used by athletes and can be bought in your local chiropractic clinic. However, they work best when applied under guidance from a certified chiropractor.
K-tapes were developed by Dr. Kenzo Kase in the mid-70s. After searching for a way to facilitate the body’s natural healing process and prolong the benefits of his treatment, Dr. Kase found a void in the treatment options that were available. He developed this taping mechanism to help people reach tough spots where rigid bandaging is not possible. K-tape is a great alternative to athletic tapes for many reasons:
- K-tape is lightweight and made of breathable fabric.
- Owing to their elasticity, K-tape moves with your body and offers the much needed hold, support and stability with great freedom for movement.
- When used correctly, K-tape creates room for lymphatic flow and improves blood supply at the affected part of the body. This also helps reduce swelling.
- K-tape can stretch up to 140% of its original length. When applied to the skin, they tend to recoil. This creates pressure and pulling on the skin, allowing flexibility of much more motion than normal white athletic tape.
- K-tape can also be left on the skin for prolonged durations without any side effects or scarring.
- The acrylic based adhesive of K-tape is heat activated and helps to promote evaporation and quicker drying.
K-tape can be effectively used for a variety of injuries like simple muscle crampings, ligament injuries or swelling sprains in a ligament, joint pain and instability, hypermobility or to improve alignments of joints, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis and much more. However, to derive the maximum benefits from K-tape, it is important to consult a qualified and experienced Chiropractor who can assess the degree of your injury and recommend the right specifications for your treatment.
More than often it is observed that people merely treat muscle injuries either through cold compress and simple bandaging or simply pain relievers. However, muscle injuries that are not treated for a prolonged duration, with the right diagnosis, can result in permanent damage to ligaments, tissues and muscles. It is never too late to book an appointment at your local Chiropractic clinic and see what line of treatment works best for your condition.