Taping You Back Together

Taping You Back Together

By: Dr. Brandon Nevel, DC, USPTA

Have you ever noticed what looks like a weird tribal tattoo on professional athletes such as Lance Armstrong, Kerri Walsh, David Beckham, and local residents Tiger Woods and Serena Williams?  You may have also seen it on some of the athletes during the Beijing Olympics and the recent 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.  It’s not a tattoo but a completely different and effective approach based on using the body’s natural healing abilities to treat and/or prevent injuries to nerves, muscles, and organs. It is known as the Kinesio-Taping Method.

Because of its unique ability to non-invasively treat and prevent injuries, Kinesio-Tape has taken the sports world by storm.  In Lance Armstrong’s book, Every Second Counts, he states that the “magical” tape is “better than any laser, wrap or electric massager.”  In addition to sports, Kinesio-Tape can be applied to conditions that plague people every day.  Common conditions that Kinesio-Tape can help include: neck and back pain, muscle pulls, whiplash, sciatica, lymphedema, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, shoulder (rotator cuff) pain, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, and TMJ. 

Unlike traditional rigid athletic taping, the elastic Kinesio-Tape does not restrict lymphatic flow or hinder natural movement.  Rather, it is a non-restrictive type of taping which allows full range of motion.  The elastic tape mimics the elasticity of muscle and lifts the skin from the underlying muscles, tendons, and bones allowing for improved circulation, lymphatic drainage and healing. The tape is cut and stretched to different lengths for each individual patient’s specific body parts and condition. Then it is strategically applied over muscles to reduce pain and inflammation.  Kinesio-Tape can be applied to either relax overused, tired muscles or to stimulate muscles that are weak and underused.  For patients that utilize massage, chiropractic adjustments or physical therapy, the elastic tape will support your natural body function, increasing the length of time needed between treatments.  Kinesio-Tape lasts 3-5 days and can be worn in the shower to support muscle movement 24 hours a day.

In order for the Kinesio-Tape to produce effective results, placement and technique are crucial. Only a qualified chiropractor or other medical practitioner should apply Kinesio-Tape.   When applied correctly, the Kinesio-Taping Method, along with other chiropractic and physical therapies, can have you pain-free and functioning at 100%.

Dr. Brandon Nevel is a certified chiropractic sports physician, certified chiropractic extremities practitioner, and a USPTA tennis professional.  For more information on Kinesio-Taping and other treatments, visit www.silversurfsportschiro.com or call Dr. Nevel of Silver Surf Sports Chiropractic & Rehab at 561-746-4242.