Bejing Olympics: The Mystery Tape is Kinesiotape
Kerri Walsh wearing Kinesio Tex Tape at the Bejing Olympics.
If you have been watching the 2008, Bejing Olympics, you may be wondering what many of the athletes are wearing on their skin. The pink, blue, black, and beige tape you are seeing on the Olympians is called Kinesio Tex Tape. The popularity of this tape has been steadily increasing which is evident based on the number of athletes you see covered in colours that aren’t their country’s.
This tape was designed by Japanese chiropractor, Dr. Kenzo Kase. This tape can be used with a number of goals in mind; however, the majority of the athletes you see wearing the tape are wearing it for one purpose: to help facilitate weak or inhibited muscles via enhanced neurological awareness. How can tape do this? Well, the idea is that the tape will stimulate the neurological system to help heighten muscular firing and therefore strength, stability, and speed.
There are many other functions for this tape such as: lymphatic drainage, inflammation decrease, pain relief, and other corrective techniques. I taped a patient’s very sprained and swollen ankle the other day and we saw tremendous results within one day. The tape is thought to relieve some pressure under the skin in order for the fluids to drain more efficiently. I thought this was impossible until I saw the results. The sections of skin on which there were tape remain a normal skin colour where those sections which weren’t covered in tape turn purple, or bruise. This shows that the areas which were taped are able to more efficiently drain fluid where the non-taped sections allow the blood to pool and therefore bruise. AMAZING! The overall result is a significant decrease in swelling and a very happy patient.
Kinesio Tex Tape is unlike other tapes as it actually stretches up to 35% in length and can remain on the skin for 3-5 days while remaining effective. It is thin and supposed to mimic our skin in its qualities. Yes, you can even shower with it on, but I shouldn’t need to convince you of this as if it can withstand beach volleyball matches, it can certainly hold up in a shower (or five).
This is a service that I provide at my clinic as you can see at http://www.drcarlacupido.com/services/. Enjoy watching the rest of the Olympics! GO CANADA GO!
3 Comments
Joe at 1:48 pm on August 19, 2008
Doc, I live in North Van and am a 61-year-old male with a torn rotator cuff. I am unable to have surgery due to work commitments. If kinesio tape might benefit me, and there seems to be every indication that it can, I would prefer to apply it myself (with my wife’s assistance). I cannot afford a physician or physio or chiropractor to do it for me.
Do you sell the tape, or only the application service? Thanks in advance, Doc.
Joe Campbell
North Van
Dr. Don Smith at 11:44 am on September 20, 2008
Dear Dr. Cupido,
Very impressed with your website and the quality of information. I’ve used kinesiotape for several years for sports related injuries and performance related problems with dancers. The results speak for themselves and the kinesiotape combines naturally with my chiropractic adjustments. I will recommend my patients go to your website. Thanks so much. Dr. Don
Jim Smith at 8:43 am on June 5, 2009
Dear Dr. Cupido
I love your website, but I will have to say I have a grandson who goes to a Kinesiologist in Texas I think his name is Aundre Glenn. After seeing his tape jobs and comparing it to all the normal k-tape I have seen I think this guy has taken it beyond what many think k-tape is for. I mean looking at the detail and trying to figure out how he does some of it still has me scratching my head.
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