Therapeutic Taping
Empower Physical Therapy offers elastic therapeutic tape as one treatment method to help restore function and mobility. Your physical therapist will assess whether this treatment method is right for you, alongside other methods of treatment. Elastic therapeutic tape can also be referred to as Kinesiotape. This can help with:
- Improved mobility
- Supporting muscles
- Supporting joints and tendons
The Benefits of Elastic Therapeutic Tape
Elastic therapeutic taping, also known as Kinesio taping, was first pioneered in Japan more than three decades ago by a Japanese doctor. It has slowly taken the world by storm in the years since, and is used in a variety of contexts, from sports medicine to physical therapy. When applied correctly by a certified physical therapist or doctor of physical therapy as part of a complete treatment physical therapy plan including exercises, manual therapies, and other treatment options, elastic therapeutic tape can help to reduce inflammation and pain, relax muscles, and assist with proper muscle movement.
When applied correctly, elastic therapeutic tape is non-restrictive and allows for the joints to have a full range of motion and complete function. Elastic therapeutic tape can support joints and muscles during sports and other vigorous activities, as well as in rehabilitation of injured joints and muscles. Elastic therapeutic tape can be a dynamic part of comprehensive physical therapy treatment plan and has been shown to have the following benefits:
- Pain reduction
- Relief for overuse of muscles and joints,
- Promote circulation
- Promote healing
- Provide joint and muscle support
- Re-train the muscles and joints to move properly during exertion
- Prevent injuries from recurring or happening in the first place
How Elastic Therapeutic Tape Works
Taping is the application of specialized elastic tapes to the joints and surrounding muscles to provide stability and support, enhancing proper, beneficial movement and circulation. The tape is elastic in nature and lifts the skin to aid in the proper drainage of lymph from the muscles. In this way, it can aid in the reduction of inflammation within injured tissues.
Elastic therapeutic tape is often left in place for several days at a time, and is known to be particularly effective in enhancing the stability of injured joints. It can also be used to provide guidance to the patient’s body to aid them in moving in ways that may be therapeutic but difficult to control at first. In this way, elastic therapeutic taping can complement other aspects of a complete physical therapy treatment program. Elastic therapeutic tape can help to treat many chronic and acute conditions, such as:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Back strain and other back conditions
- Knee problems
- Joint instability
- Rotator cuff injury
- Tennis elbow
- Plantar fasciitis
- Whiplash