Developed in the 1970s by Dr. Kenso Kase, a noted Japanese chiropractor, Kinesio taping has become a popular and effective method for providing support and reducing pain and inflammation while not limiting movement and activity. That’s why Kinesio taping is commonly used by a range of professional athletes and anyone who enjoys an active lifestyle. Kinesio taping is safe, effective, and a surprisingly simple method for improving your body’s athletic performance. But that’s just the beginning for what Kinesio tape can do for you and your overall health and wellness.
In this blog, we’re taking a closer look at this treatment method that’s offered by our experienced, full-service Denver physical therapy office. If you’re looking for a natural, safe, and effective way to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and improve your overall performance, Kinesio taping could be ideal for you.
At Denver Total Physical Therapy, we understand that every recovery is unique. That’s why we develop personalized treatment plans designed for the specific needs of our patients. Our physical therapy office specializes in attentive, one-on-one care with Denver’s top physical therapists. Our hands-on therapy techniques, such as evidence-based vestibular rehabilitation, can enhance your wellness, boost your overall physical performance, and improve the quality of your life. We design our treatment plans so that you can get one-one-one access with our team. With open communication, proven therapy techniques, and a complete staff dedicated to your full recovery, Denver Total Physical Therapy can get you back to the life you love.
What is Kinesio Taping?
Also known as elastic therapeutic tape, Kinesio taping is a therapeutic technique designed to alleviate pain and facilitate lymphatic drainage by gently lifting the skin. Kinesio tape provides stability to joints and muscles without limiting your range of motion, which makes this type of therapy ideal for athletes and active individuals. Kinesio tape works with your body’s natural healing processes to reduce pain, limit inflammation, increase circulation, and even boost your athletic performance. That’s why you’ll often see top athletes apply Kinesio tape to certain parts of their bodies during events.
Additionally, the use of Kinesio tape provides soft tissue manipulation, which provides similar health benefits as receiving manual therapy from a physical therapist or massage therapist. Kinesio tape is often applied to the back, calves, elbows, shins, shoulders, or wrists to provide a safe and natural form of therapy.
What are the Benefits of Kinesio Taping?
As a safe and natural way to encourage your body to heal, there are many benefits to Kinesio taping as a method of therapy. It’s safe, simple, and most important, effective. Some of the top health benefits of Kinesio taping include:
1. Improves circulation: good circulation is key as it allows for more oxygen and nutrients to be distributed throughout your body, reaching your brain and other vital organs. Kinesio taping can encourage better blood flow, and as a result, reduce inflammation in the body. Improved circulation can also help you recover faster from injuries.
2. Creates joint space: some evidence suggests that Kinesio tape can increase the space in joints like the knees. As a result, this may reduce the chance of joint irritation and improve your overall mobility.
3. Reduces pain: when Kinesio tape is applied to the skin, it gently adds pressure that can relieve pain and tension throughout the body.
4. Better posture and muscle support: Kinesio taping encourages better posture by offering key muscle support. This makes this type of treatment ideal for anyone who sits all day at work.
5. Improves athletic performance: Kinesio tape applies pressure and offers muscle support, both of which can improve your athletic performance naturally. Additionally, Kinesio tape is ideal for athletes because unlike other assistive devices, like a leg brace, it doesn’t restrict your movement.
Who Could Benefit from Kinesio Taping?
While Kinesio tape is commonly used by top athletes across a variety of sports, you don’t need to be a pro athlete to benefit from this type of treatment. In fact, Kinesio taping is ideal for a wide range of individuals who need support or relief from pain. As a safe and all-natural approach to care, Kinesio taping is also ideal for older individuals and those experiencing certain medical conditions that may limit other types of care.
Kinesio taping can be ideal for:
· Professional athletes or those who love an active lifestyle.
· People who sit for long periods of time for work or other reasons (learn more about the risks of a sedentary lifestyle).
· People with joint pain.
· Those with physically demanding jobs (construction, factory work, physical laborers, etc.).
· Those with bad posture.
· People experiencing sleep problems.
· Anyone recovering from a car accident injury or sports-related injury.
When Should Kinesio Tape Not Be Used?
In some cases, it’s recommended that Kinesio taping should not be used as a treatment method. If you’re experiencing one or more of the following health problems, you should probably avoid Kinesio tape and talk with your physical therapist about an alternative treatment.
· Open wounds: you should never use this tape over a still open wound as it could lead to an infection.
· Diabetes: for those living with diabetes, it may be more difficult to sense the reaction to the tape due to poor sensitivity in certain regions.
· Allergic reaction: if your skin is sensitive to the use of adhesives, Kinesio tape could trigger a reaction.
· Deep vein thrombosis: if you’re experiencing this medical condition, increasing blood flow could potentially result in a blood clot.
· Fragile skin: fragile or irritable skin may be vulnerable to tearing or damage when Kinesio tape is applied.
· Lymph node removal: more blood flow where a lymph node is missing could actually result in more swelling.
Conclusion – What are the Benefits of Kinesio Taping?
Are you suffering from chronic pain, inflammation, or poor circulation? Or are you an athlete looking for an all-natural boost to your overall performance? If so, then you should look into Kinesio taping. Using Kinesio tape, also known as elastic therapeutic tape, can provide pain relief and improve blood circulation without limiting your range of movement—making this form of therapy ideal for athletes and active individuals. Working with an experienced physical therapist for your Kinesio taping needs can ensure that you’re getting the most out of this safe and effective form of treatment.
Total Physical Therapy is your choice for safe and effective physical therapy. With a commitment to personalized care and unmatched one-on-one access with Denver’s top physical therapists, our entire physical therapy office is dedicated to your recovery.
If you’re experiencing a sports injury, need post-surgical treatment, or simply need to find relief from pain or limited mobility, we’re here to help. Our physical therapy services are also ideal for individuals recovering from personal injury accidents. Our physical therapy services provide quick pain relief, improved mobility, and can even help you ward off future injuries.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment with our team and an initial consultation. You can also review our complete list of physical therapy services to see if our Denver physical therapy office could be beneficial for your specific healthcare needs. Together, let’s get you back to total health.