TAPING

Kinesiology tape is designed to mimic the skin’s elasticity so you can use your full range of motion. The tape’s medical-grade adhesive is also water-resistant and strong enough to stay on for three to five days, even while you work out or take showers.

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When the tape is applied to your body, it recoils slightly, providing the following benefits:

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• Gently lifts the skin, creating microscopic subcutaneous space between your skin and the tissues underneath it. This is thought to change the pressure gradient and Improve blood flow and circulation of lymphatic fluids under the skin. Lymphatic fluid is mostly water, but it also contains proteins, bacteria, and other chemicals. The lymphatic system is the way your body regulates swelling and fluid build-up, aiding healing from injury.

• Provides extra support to muscles or joints that are injured or weakened.

• Increases the space in the joint capsule helping to reduce joint irritation.

• Changes the information your sensory nervous system is sending about pain and compression in your body.

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When not to tape?

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There are some circumstances in which kinesiology tape should not be used. They include the following:

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• Open wounds. Using tape over a wound could lead to infection or skin damage.

• Deep vein thrombosis. Increasing fluid flow could cause a blood clot to dislodge, which might be fatal.

• Active cancer. Increasing blood supply to a cancerous growth could be dangerous.

• Lymph node removal. Increasing fluid where a node is missing could cause swelling.

• Diabetes. If you have reduced sensation in some areas, you might not notice a reaction to the tape.

• Allergy. If your skin is sensitive to adhesives, you could trigger a strong reaction.

• Fragile skin. If your skin is prone to tearing, you should avoid placing tape on it.​

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