What is the deal with all this tape in the Olympics and CrossFit Games?

For those of you who know me you know that I think this tape is cheating when it comes to athletic events.    If I can mimic muscles actions, facilitate muscles, offload muscle tears, resist aberrant movements, provide increased proprioception, enhance lymphatic drainage, redirect the line of pull of muscles or influence accessory motions, inhibit overactive muscles or trigger points, don't you think this is artificial athletic enhancement?

Check out this article about taping in the Olympics CNN article on kinesiotape.  Could this actually be detrimental to an athlete if he/she needs this tape to perform at high levels? Could this tape mask injuries putting the athlete at higher risk for another injury that might be devastating?  Could this actually help them perform an activity that couldn't do otherwise?   I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Too bad we can't see all the tape in the winter Olympics like the summer games.  You know it's there.

However, from a healthcare perspective I have a healthy admiration for this tape.  I use it all the time in the clinic.  My patients love it.  I use it to reduce work load of muscles that are overloaded, shortened, fatigued or even have contractures to allow healing.  I use it for postural re-education.  I use it to facilitate muscles that are weakened, using the elasticity in the tape to assist the muscle in its work.  If I have enough tape I could tape a patient's entire body to augment global stability.  Wow!  Think about this for a minute.  It is a pretty powerful tool to use in the clinic.

Tape for meniscal tears or other knee ailments

Taping for tennis elbow

You don't have to be a physical therapist to use this tape.  You can learn how to use this tape for any joint or muscle from the internet.  Here are two of my favorite types of tape and their educational links where you can learn what I know about this tape:  dynamictape and Spidertech tape.  However, if you want to learn about how to treat and abolish your personal painful conditions, then I say You deserve a good mechanical evaluation and treatment plan!  Don't just rely on tape to mask symptoms.

Call or text Grimm Physiotherapy at 504-228-0524, visit us on the web at grimmpt.com  to schedule your mechanical assessment today.