Originally created over 30 years ago in Japan by Dr. Kenzo Kase, DC, Kinesiology Tape was theorized to work in unison with the body's own healing methods to actually speed the healing process while providing support and pain relief. By allowing the body to maintain mobility while providing assistance to the lymphatic system through the tape's "lift" effect, the healing process could take place quicker where it would have been slowed by pain or inflammation.
Let's talk about that "lift" effect!
Kinesiology Tape is made from either 100% cotton or a cotton/rayon fiber blend and is incredibly lightweight and flexible. This type of tape is meant to mimic the epidermis, or outer layer of skin, and is waterproof, allowing the user to wear it for several days at a time while going about their daily lives. The elasticity and flexibility of Kinesiology Tape play an important role; when used correctly on the body, it will actually lift the skin and allow the lymphatic system to work properly. Why is the lifting important?
When the body is injured, this really cool process takes place that will make blood and other bodily fluids rush to the injured area. This is what causes swelling in, let's say, your ankle when you've just sprained it. While the rushing of fluids is important to help your injured body heal, too much can make it difficult for your lymphatic system to work efficiently and may even slow down your recovery. When Kinesiology Tape is applied to the injured area (in this case, your sprained ankle) it lifts the skin and allows the fluids to drain and your lymphatic system to work efficiently, which in turn speeds up your recovery time and reduces pain and swelling.
The Kinesiology Tape also provides support to your ankle, making it easier to move and walk to prevent stiffness in the joint.
These are just a few other benefits of Kinesiology Taping, on top of inflammation reduction and quicker recovery.
Testimonial
The ankle example is just one of many to tell you how amazing Kinesiology Tape really is, but it's also my personal favorite because I can speak from experience. As a kid I injured my ankles quite a few times, and while none of them were ever severe, each time they got injured it hurt worse than before due to the extra strain it put on the area. In high school I went on to play lacrosse, and while women's lacrosse is not quite as physical as the men's, it required me to be able to move smoothly and make quick decisions on my feet without falling or injuring myself.
After a game early on in the season, I realized my ankles were hurting really badly so I decided to give Kinesiology Tape a try in order to prevent a worse injury from forming and to provide my ankles with more support. I quickly realized during practice and future games I felt sturdier, experienced less pain in my ankles, and had much fewer injuries than before which allowed me to play better and not worry about how bad I would be hurting after an intense game.
While Kinesiology Tape provides the support athletes need to perform efficiently, it does not cause stiffness or reduce mobility like ACE wraps or braces would. This is why it's such a favorite among athletes, those in physical therapy, or even people who take their fitness seriously.
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Are you interested in trying out Kinesiology Taping for yourself? Contact us for more info!
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Questions? Comments? Concerns? Comment below or email us at: massagelamesa@gmail.com!
Read more about Kinesiology Taping and the services we offer here.
Read more about Kinesiology Taping and the services we offer here.
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