What is Kinesiology Tape and How to Use It?
Are these patches large-sized Band-Aids?
Of course not, these patches are actually kinesiology tapes, or muscle tapes, kinesio tapes for short.
What are its functions? Can fitness enthusiasts use it? What should you pay attention to when using it?
Today we will use 2 minutes to quickly help you answer these questions from a scientific perspective.
What is kinesiology tape?
It is called kinesiology tape in English. It is a patch that can strengthen muscle function and prevent injury. Kinesiology tape was invented in the 1970s by a chiropractor named Kenzo Case. Kinesiology tape is well known to the public because it was widely used in the 2008 Olympics.
It is not equivalent to ointment or what we often call sports bandages, and its effects are also very different. Kinesiology tape does not contain any medicine and is very elastic.
Generally speaking, it is directly applied to the muscle and works mainly through the physical stimulation of the skin caused by high elasticity.
For example, high elasticity can produce additional stimulation to the muscles and enhance muscle perception, just like someone is pinching your muscles with their hands all the time. In addition, high elasticity can pull up the skin at the taping site and increase the space under the skin, just like pinching a bitten straw into a round shape, which allows the body’s fluid to flow more smoothly.
Can Fitness enthusiast use muscle tape?
If the following 3 scenarios occur, I think it is worth it.
First, if you usually do heavy load and heavy weight training, such as powerlifting enthusiasts, Kinesiology tapes can help you improve your performance. When impacting the limit, you can stick some kinesio tape on the muscles that do the main work, which can provide a certain amount of support while also increasing the object and performance of the muscles.
Second, If you have some discomfort in your muscle joints, such as shoulder and neck pain caused by playing with your mobile phone, you can also use muscle tape to relieve it. Using muscle tape on the uncomfortable part can improve the fluid circulation in that part and relieve the discomfort.
Third, If you have just returned from some sports injuries, such as muscle strain, muscle tape can also help you recover more efficiently. Applying muscle tape to the injured part can strengthen your control and perception of the part and reduce the risk of secondary strain
There are many other functions of muscle tape, but we must also pay attention to the specifications of use and seek help from professionals when necessary. For example, when using muscle tape, you need a certain anatomical basis and understand the direction of the muscle to stick it to the right position. In addition, the elasticity of muscle tape also has different strengths, and different strengths of elasticity are suitable for different scenarios. Finally, most of the products on the market currently need to be cut by yourself, which also tests your manual ability and understanding of the body.
However, friends who really can’t get help from professionals don’t have to worry. At present, many brands have launched machine-cut stickers for different parts of the body in advance. These products are also equipped with professional instructions for use to meet everyone’s needs in different scenarios. Have the friends in front of the video used kinesio tape? Welcome everyone to share your experience in the comment area.
