Kinesio tape all the rage at the Olympics

If there is a way to start a trend, the Olympics is definitely an avenue for it.  Yes, I’m talking about that black thing that US beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh has been wearing during these Olympics.  Normally, we’d never even know she was really wearing this Kinesio tape except that beach volleyball has gotten A LOT of primetime airing.  It’s not a bad thing, but I do admit, it’s gets kind of old after awhile, although I respect their athleticism. 

What intrigued me more than their volleyball aces, spikes, kills, and digs (yes, I can actually keep up with the lingo though I’ve never touched a volleyball court except in middle school P.E. classes) is the Kinesio tape Walsh has been sporting.  Seriously, I wasn’t sure if it was some kind of tattoo or what at first.  Apparently, she is not the only one wearing this tape at the Games.  A few water polo players, wrestlers, basketball players, and track athletes from a variety of countries have all been seen wearing the black, blue, and pink colored tape. 

 

So what is Kinesio Taping?  It’s not new–created about 25 years ago in Japan for rehabilitation purposes, but is just beginning to move into the mainstream.  According to a New York Times article, the website had only gotten 600 hits/month, but with athletes showcasing it at the Olympics, website hits have risen to over 34,000!  That’s pretty amazing, and the company definitely have the athletes to thank for that. 

Anyway, the concept of Kinesio taping is a way to alleviate pain, reduce pressure off the lymphatic system, and give a full range of body movement while allowing the muscles/affected area to heal biomechanically.  The tape itself doesn’t allow the muscle to “over-contract,” therefore, decreasing inflammation and pain. 

The next question would be but how well does it really work?  The studies are limited, but there are a few showing positive outcomes for this specific taping.  One study (here) looked at the effect of Kinesio Taping (KT) in changes to the vastus medialis muscle (the “teardrop” shaped muscle in the quadricep) during isometric contractions.  THe results indicated there was a significant effects in bioelectrical activity after 24 hours of taping and continued for another 48 hours after removal of the tape.  Muscle  tone did decrease on the fourth day to original values.  In another recent double-blind, randomized study with individuals who had rotator cuff inpingement/tendinitis, KT showed immediate improvement in pain-free shoulder range of movement for those who received KT while the “sham” group did not.  However, pain intensity did not decrease between the two groups. 

In general, I think there is promise clinical value in using Kinesio Taping for short term duration, though I think more studies do need to be done.  As athletes, we are always looking for better ways to improve our bodies, injuries, health, and recovery.  So if this is just another tool to add to the box, then I say go for it.