Supercharge Your Performance with dynamic taping
You may have seen this coloured tape worn by sports players arranged in different patterns and configurations. Sports tape, also known as dynamic tape or kinesio tape, or by the popular brand name Rocktape, is is a dynamic ‘stretchy tape’ engineered to mimic the human skin.
It has a special weave woven into the cotton, allowing a stretch in only one direction. Together, these properties create a “Biomechanical Lifting Mechanism”. This simply means that the tape can lift the skin away from the soft tissue underneath the skin. This lifting capability is what promotes blood flow and lymphatic drainage, thereby accelerating recovery from injuries.
Sports Tape Uses and Benefits
Dynamic sports tape is used to provide support, stimulation, and resiliency necessary for injury prevention, postural support and performance enhancement. It can be also used to stabilise muscles and joints that have been sprained or strained, promoting faster recovery.
In our experience at The Physicaltherapy Centre in North Sydney, Rocktape is superior to other types of sports tape as it can stretch up to 190% of its original length and has amazing “snap-back” or recovery.
Unlike braces and sleeves that constrain and reduce blood flow, Rocktape can provide support and stability while increasing blood flow. Thus, the dynamic tape’s capabilities make it well suited to the repair of localised muscle groups. This is what gives Rocktape its performance advantage over other sports tapes.
How Does Kinesio Tape Work?
The stretch imparted by the tape when applied to the skin causes it to form convolutions. This creates a biomechanical lifting mechanism that decompresses the tissue just below the skin.
Today, research is being carried out to test three hypotheses on the effect this lifting mechanism has on the tissues of the body.
Fluid effect: By causing decompression at the site of application, the tape promotes a more normal fluid dynamic. This assists the flow of inflammatory toxins out of the injured area and enhances blood flow to the area.
Mechanical effect: When the pressure from the surface of the skin to the bone is reduced, the layers of tissue in between (muscle, fascia, tendons, etc) will slide and glide better. This results in increased range of motion. You can observe this effect in an instant with the forward bend test. By taping the posterior muscle chain, a person might change their forward bend range of motion from only reaching as far as their knees, to touching their toes.
Neurological effect: Applying the tape to the skin acts as a stimulus to the mechanoreceptors (nerves) embedded within the skin. The reduced pressure on these nerve endings enhances proprioception (movement awareness). The taping essentially strengthens (or makes more aware) the neural connection between the brain and the injured site so that it may function more efficiently.
Tom’s thoughts
Traditional athletic tape is rigid and doesn’t stretch. If you had just sprained your ankle, I’d be more inclined to use a rigid tape. This would stabilise the joint, giving it the needed rest whilst in it’s acute stage. Once you were more confident to bear weight through your ankle, I’d Rocktape it. The tape would still offer a degree of support but more importantly, stimulate the muscles and nerves around the ankle to work more responsively. Furthermore, it would facilitate a reduction in inflammation.
Tom Cartwright, senior chiropractor at The Physicaltherapy Centre
Is Kinesiology Tape right for me?
Using kinesiology tape is most effective when preceded by other treatment modalities. It is most commonly used in sporting injuries to the upper and lower limbs, although some people report positive results when used for postural conditions of the neck and spine.
With respect to musculoskeletal injuries, the application of dynamic tape alone will unlikely be sufficient to achieve full recovery. Most injuries will undoubtedly require some form of treatment in conjunction with kinesiology tape. Kinesio tape is a great adjunct to chiropractic, soft tissue, dry needling and other various forms of treatment.
Common injuries you might use kinesio tape or Rocktape to assist with include:
- Back injuries
- Shin splints
- Runners knee
- Shoulder injuries
- Tennis elbow
As well as many other tendinopathies. You can pretty much use Rocktape for any musculoskeletal complaint, but the effectiveness of its use depends a great deal on when you use it as opposed to what for.
For example, an acute ankle sprain would require immediate immobilisation of the ankle. This is achieved firstly by resting the ankle – staying off it and ceasing activity. Secondly, assuming the sprain was quite significant (too sore to walk on), the use of rigid or non-stretchy tape would prevent any unwanted movement within the joint whilst in the early stages of repair.
If the sprain was only mild, or you had already progressed with rehabilitation of a more severe sprain, a stretchy kinesiology tape like Rocktape would be more appropriate. In this scenario, dynamic tape would allow a favourable combination of movement and support, provide stimulation of the relevant muscles and ligaments, and promote blood flow within the area.
Where Can I Get Rocktape?
A variety of therapists are qualified in the application of Rocktape but you don’t need to be qualified to use it. Rocktape is available at a number of outlets, including The Physicaltherapy Centre. Instructions on its application are included in every box.
It is recommended having a certified therapist run through with you how to apply the tape correctly as it can be more tricky than you first think. There are also many alternative ways of taping certain injuries. Your therapist will most likely have a better understanding of the anatomy and will be helpful in showing you how to get the best use out of your roll of tape.
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