Kinesiology tape (stretchy sporting tape) has been around for a long time now, but it is getting a lot more popular throughout sporting communities and athletes. They also come in a variety of colours and patterns which makes them a lot more fun to wear/use in comparison to to the plainer looking rigid strapping. But which strapping is better? And which one should you be using?
Rigid strapping tape has been commonly used for sporting injuries for many years and is still being used to this day. It can be used to treat joint injuries for the foot, ankle, knee and much more. When applied correctly it works by holding the joint in a particular position and by supporting the soft tissue of the limb by limiting the movement. It provides an athlete support and confidence to be able to keep playing whilst protecting the injured area. Often this is used more commonly on new injuries.
Kinesiology tape works very differently due to the stretchy nature of the tape. After it is applied the elastic nature of the tape almost ‘bunches’ up. This is not visible to the eye. This ‘bunching’ lifts the layers of skin up allowing for more movement through the area itself. It can aid with swelling, it can be helpful in increasing the bodies awareness of an area of the body through nerve feed back and increasing the slide and glide between the muscles and the skin. Kinesiology tape does not restrict joint movement like rigid tape does; rather it provides information back to the brain the lets you know how that joint or muscle is going and it can help to make that joint or muscle more reactive to the movement you a re doing. This assists with rehabilitation and with areas of the body that are weak.
So depending on what you want to achieve will determine whether rigid or kinesiology tape will be the most suited option. If you are still confused as to which option is best for you, contact us, we are more then happy to help.