Welcome to Figure it out Fridays! This is a series of posts where I will explore life’s deepest questions on all of the hard hitting topics that we just NEED to know!
About running: What exactly are racing flats, and do I need them? What is the best way to keep warm in the Runner’s Village?
About nutrition: What is Nutritional Yeast?
About twinning: What are the best shoes for new walkers?
I hope that my random pondering can answer some of your questions too! Please let me know if there is anything you would like more info on!
You must have seen it before, that brightly colored tape that runners have strategically placed around their knees, on the achilles and on their shins.
I love colorful running accessories, however I see this stuff on some serious runners … which makes me think that its more than just a color pop in their outfit.
And then I heard Kelly taking about her use of KT tape on Another Mother Runner Radio and I just had to research more.
As it turns out, I need some KT tape in my life!!!
The KT Tape website says:
KT Tape is a revolutionary sports medicine solution for treating and preventing common sports injuries such as ITBS, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, knee pain and more. Ultra-light, elastic, and strong, KT Tape is highly effective at providing pain relief, stability & support, & faster recovery for injured or sore muscles and joints-without sacrificing comfort or freedom of movement.
How does it work?
KT Tape is applied along muscles, ligaments, and tendons (soft tissue) to provide a lightweight, strong, external support that helps to prevent injury and speed recovery. KT Tape works differently for different injuries. KT Tape can lift and support the knee cap, holding it in place for Runner’s Knee. KT Tape can support sagging muscles along the arch of the foot, relieving the connective tissues for Plantar’s Fasciitis. And KT Tape can lift the stress off of shin splints to allow pain release and give the body a better opportunity to recover. Depending on how it is applied, KT Tape supports, enables, or restricts soft tissue and its movement. By stretching and recoiling like a rubber band, KT Tape augments tissue function and distributes loads away from inflamed or damaged muscles and tendons, thereby protecting tissues from further injury
UM SOLD!!! I am one foot out the door to JackRabbit right now … I think I’ll get pink, no green, maybe purple 🙂 Yay for the rainbow of colors KT tape comes in!
But wait, why KT tape over regular athletic tape??
“The stretchiness sort of mimics what the muscle does,” says Jessica Tranchina, a physical therapist who works with high-level endurance athletes in Austin. “When it contracts, it shortens; when it relaxes, it lengthens. Athletic tape, on the other hand, doesn’t stretch, so it doesn’t move with the body. Wrap an ankle with it, and that ankle can’t move.” source
Makes sense. I have been taped a few times before and it seems almost like a cast … the KT tape sounds like it will be similar to a lightweight brace.
My runner’s knee could use some help these days. I have been feeling it on most of my runs and it makes me pretty nervous for the 26.2 I have coming up in 10 days!! I plan to try KT tape this weekend on my 8 miler. Stay tuned for the results!!
Have any of you tried KT Tape? Do you love it?
I LOVE kinesio tape. I go to a chiropractor who tapes my foot from time to time to help me treat plantar fasciitis. The tape has worked wonders for me.
I have tried it. For some reason it never stuck on me and just fell off?!? Annoying.
Celia recently posted..confidence
I’ve been wanting to get some tape, but haven’t been sure what it was called or how to apply it. Thanks for this!