how to, injury, kinetic, leg, plyometrics, rehab, sport, stretching - November 24, 2013

Muscle Protection Kinesiology Tape – To Use It or Not?

Fh Kinesio Tape Body Muscle 5cm 5 meters

Whether you’re a sports athlete yourself or just like to work your body via some healthy exercise, you’ve likely seen if not actually used kinesiology tape. It is the white or brightly colored tape that you wrap around different areas of your body to help protect your muscles, which may leave you asking yourself if it is something you should use or not.

The Claims

Promoters of kinesiology tape claim that it helps support your muscles and reduce their likelihood of injury. It does this by keeping the muscles, tendons and ligaments either tight or relaxed depending on how you place the tape.

They also state that using this type of tape can help you if you already suffer from sports associated aches and pains in a particular area as it gives it more stability. Essentially, it reduces your range of motion and lessens the chances that you’ll further injure the area.

However, not all health experts agree that the tape is as beneficial as proponents would like you to think. Some feel that there aren’t enough studies to substantiate the claims and have concern over whether the tape actually works or if there is a placebo effect (which means that the athletes believe that it works, therefore it does). They also question how placing tape on the outside of your body works to benefit the inside of your body.

Should You Use It or Not?

The only way to know for sure whether kinesiology tape is going to work for you and protect your muscles is to actually try it yourself. Just be sure to learn how to properly apply it so that you don’t create more harm than good.

Although health experts are at odds as to whether or how it works, some athletes swear by it and feel that it improves their game and reduces their injuries. You may find that you are one of them!