Kinesiotape is all the rage at the Beijing Olympics

What’s that black mark on Kerry Walsh’s shoulder?  What’s the pink and blue stuff on Ari Taub’s arms and legs? 

It’s KinesioTape, or, K-tape.  Developed by a Japanese chiropractor in the 1970’s, Dr. Kenzo Kase, it made its world debut at the 2004 Olympics.  It’s figured so prominently on Olympic athletes that the Corporate Website for Kinesiotaped has jumped from 300 views per day to 345,000!!  (Read more in the NY Times “Quirky Tape” article.)

It’s not what you’re expecting, a “supportive tape” like what you wrap around a sprained ankle.  Rather, in the hands of a skilled chiropractor or physical therapist, it’s a healing tape.  Lance Armstrong calls it “miracle tape”.  One medical study says that it provided immediate improvement in pain-free shoulder abduction when applied to students with rotator cuff tendinitis.   

Taped over the edges of a particular muscle, tendon, or ligament, it lifts the skin ever so slightly away from the fascia, breaking up adhesions and faciliting the flow of blood and lymph and other fluids through an area that is injured.  That flow of fluids is tremendously healing.  One Olympics commentator said the tape eases pain, stabilizes joints, increases circulation, and reduces lymphedema.

In the picture of the author above with blue tape on the shoulder, it follows the deltoid muscle from the bottom and the supraspinatus across the top.  This is to facilitate healing after arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone spur impingement and frayed rotator cuff.  The tape was applied approximately four days after surgery and alleviated the accumulation of fluids over the next several weeks.

The tape is waterproof and sweat-proof and stays on the skin for 3-5 days. Unlike regular athletic tape, this tape stretches and moves through all ranges of motion, enabling the patient to continue normal activity.

In the picture of the author’s foot below, kinesiotape is applied over tendons and ankle to relieve pain, stiffness, and swelling from a running overuse injury. 

As we see athletes in the Olympics wearing kinesiotape, I’ll post the photos or stories here.  If you are an athlete, I highly recommend contacting a chiropractor who has been trained in Kinesiotaping.  If it can be trusted on our elite athletes at the Olympics, it is certainly good enough for you!  (Or me, pictured in all my KinesioGlory, at right).

Ari Taub
From Ari Taub’s Olympic Journey

Kerry Walsh

See my other kinesiotape articles at:

http://shecanrun.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/seriously-he-can-kinesiotape-me-like-a-mummy/

http://shecanrun.wordpress.com/2008/07/27/kinesiotape-techniques-on-youtube/

http://shecanrun.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/kinesio-tape-on-my-post-surgery-shoulder-for-pain-free-active-rom/

To see a complete collection of pictures and stories of kinesiotaped Olympians, go to the KinesioTaping Olympic Watch site. I was thrilled to see taping by Dr. Ted Forcum, who was the mentor and trainer for my chiropractor, Dr. Justin Dukes.