Natacha Pisarenko/AP

You’ve probably seen athletes on TV with their shoulders, knees, and backs taped with bright colored strips. Professional beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh is one that comes to mind. She made being wrapped up with tape look pretty darn tough and cool. But besides potentially psyching out your opponents, we wanted to learn more about what this therapeutic tape can do.

So we asked Chris Spears, of Chris Spears Massage, to give us the low-down on this relatively new therapy method.

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What Is Kinesio Tape?
Kinesio Taping is a method in which a thin, stretchy therapeutic tape is applied over muscles to reduce pain and inflammation, relax overused tired muscles, and to support muscles in movement on a 24hr/ day basis. It is not a restrictive type of taping; allowing for full range of motion so a person’s biomechanics will not be affected.

Who Can Use Kinesio Tape?
Kinesio Tape is safe and effective for anyone to use, whether you’re an elite athlete, a weekend warrior, or a desk jockey that has spent too much time at the computer.

Kinesio Taping takes a completely different approach to athletic taping than the rigid, immobilizing sports tapes most people are familiar with. Kinesio Tape is made of 100% high grade cotton so it is skin friendly, having 140% elastic (same elasticity as human skin). It is latex-free and safe for sensitive skin and may be used  with a wide age range, from pediatric to geriatric.

How Does It Work and How Long Will It Last?
The technique involves applying tape directly over an injured area, as well as around it’s perimeter. There is no compression on the skin, making it ‘light to the feel’ and allowing comfortable wear over a 3-4 day period. It’s water-resistant fabric wicks away moisture and allows patients to bathe or even swim as usual.

In most cases, the muscles should be held in a stretched position while the tape is applied. The natural elasticity creates a microscopic lifting action of the skin, which activates both neurological and circulatory healing mechanisms.  Because it increases lymphatic drainage and blood flow, a kinesiology tape application can rapidly relieve swelling and inflammation, as well as accelerate the healing process. Other properties allow it to relieve both acute and chronic pain, which all injured athletes welcome. As pain and inflammation recede, normal muscle activation can be restored, returning strength and coordination to injured areas, as well as a full range of motion.

What Problems Does Kinesio Tape Address?
A wide range of issues may be treated by application of Kinesio Tape, such as: plantar fasciitis, shin splints, patella tracking, ankle sprains, tennis elbow, shoulder and knee conditions, lower back strain, carpal tunnel syndrome, along with numerous other sports injuries…you get the idea by now.

My Personal Experience:
I’ve used Kinesio Tape on different body types and clients that have varied activity levels and seen measurable results each time. I’ve treated clients that suffer from TMJ who grind their teeth at night, clients that hold their stress in their shoulders/neck and can’t turn their head to the side it’s gets so bad, and others that have past knee issues to reduce inflammation and swelling in the joint. As a Massage Therapist, my forearms can get extremely tight after a long day, so I even tape myself and can feel the effects within an hour as the bound fascia is lifted and fresh blood is circulated through my tired arm muscles.

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Chris Spears Massage is located just North of the UT Campus, off 32nd Street and Guadalupe in a Texas Historic Landmark turned boutique offices. Specializing in Deep Tissue and Sports Massage, Chris uses a variety of techniques on clients to help them meet their fitness goals. New clients can enjoy $20 off their first session when they book a 60 or 90 minute appointment.

A bit more about Chris Spears: Early on in my career I was fortunate to have worked with some of the best Physical Therapists and Massage Therapists in Austin. The experience and techniques I learned from them have been valuable in growing my work as a solo practitioner. I truly love what I do and feel passionate about helping my clients enhance their performance and gain a deeper understanding of their body mechanics. Always being drawn towards the clinical side of massage, I constantly strive to stay current on effective techniques I can use to assist my clients. I’m committed to serving those who want a natural, higher quality of life…pain free!

Check out Chris Spears Massage on MyFitList: http://www.myfitlist.com/find/detail/www.cspearsmassage.com

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