Services
Kinesio Taping
Services
Kinesio Taping
This specialised tape is used to help treat different types of injuries. It is made from a special waterproof cotton material that is thin and stretchable, with ventilation properties. When used to treat injuries, it acts as a kind of brace which supports your muscles and joints without restricting their mobility. This allows your body to naturally heal itself better, even as it helps your muscles relax and alleviates swelling and pain.
There are other forms of taping such as medical and athletic tape, but none of these are elastic or have the properties of Kinesio taping, and so they restrict movement. Athletes such as marathon runners or cyclists may also use different varieties of tape during events to help them perform better.
How does kinesio taping work?
After your injuries are assessed, the therapist will decide which areas require taping. You may be taped in unconventional positions and patterns such as U-shapes or X-crosses, but these configurations are strategically placed for optimal outcomes. It is quite common to apply kinesio tape after manual manipulation therapy sessions to help restore your muscles and joints, and take some of the pressure off of the affected areas from those sessions.
The tape is strong and flexible enough to provide a moderate level of tension, keeping your muscles in position while still allowing for movement. Once the tape is applied to your skin, the therapist will rub it to activate the adhesive, and it will then start to react by contracting. This effect pulls your skin tighter, allowing blood flow to increase between the injured area and the skin
How does this affect the muscles?
By improving blood circulation, kinesio taping helps the surrounding soft muscle tissue heal. Since the tape is applied around the inflicted areas, it decreases pressure on the muscles themselves, allowing you to move more easily and experience less pain. Your joints will also regain improved mobility and increased range of motion.
Taping also helps with alignment of muscles by applying the necessary tension to the required areas. This tension encourages muscle alignment, mitigating pain and providing added support. For this reason, athletes often have their shoulders or knees taped before a game to help with blood circulation and minimise the risk of injury.
Is it for me?
The therapist won't allow you to use kinesio tape if you have skin allergies, diabetes, open wounds, or other specific medical conditions that could cause complications. If you have long-term joint problems affecting your shoulders, elbows, or knees, kinesio taping could become a valuable part of your therapy along with exercise prescription.
Taping can help people who were recently injured or have undergone surgery. It can effectively address muscle-related issues or other symptoms like swelling, ankle sprains, hamstring injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, spinal problems, back pain or even headaches.
If you feel you have lost muscle function without a clear cause of injury, for example by sitting behind a desk for a few months, taping helps retrain your muscles to become more responsive. Taping is not a permanent solution, but can supplement other therapy in your rehabilitation programme. Naturally, your therapist will also teach you how to apply the tape yourself at home.
Costs vary, most private health funds are accepted, including HICAPS for added convenience. Patients should consult their private health fund provider for more details.