Using K Tape for swimming can be tricky, but our EXTRA STICKY KINESIOLOGY TAPE is designed for anything that sport can throw at it. So when we launched it back in 2012, we put it to the test.
When Daniel Green (@danieljgreen), a Physiotherapist and Sprint Swimmer, tweeted us to say that he’s been unable to get another tape to stick in the pool, we saw our chance.
Here’s what Daniel had to say…
“As a National Level swimmer and therapist, I used KINESIOLOGY TAPE for swimming quite a lot. Until now I have struggled to find a tape which stays on in the water. Previous tapes have lasted as little as 10 minutes into a 2 hour pool session. SPORTTAPE’s EXTRA STICKY K TAPE is the only tape I’ve used that stands up to multiple swim sessions and gym sessions in one application.”
“My best tip is to prevent (prehab) injury occurring in the first place, by strengthening the structures under most stress. 90% of swimmers complain of ‘swimmers shoulder’ which is a weakness of the rotator cuff. This causes impingement of the supraspinatus. This can be cured by simply strengthening the muscles around the rotator cuff. The gym is a swimmers best friend“
- CONTROL PAIN – Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (when possible). This helps to control inflammation and promote the healing effects.
- MAINTAIN FITNESS – Cross training. Use other training activities to maintain fitness.
- RESTORE RANGE OF MOVEMENT (ROM) – It is essential to do this early and can be done wearing SPORTTAPE. This will help prevent scar tissue formation, which can impair the functional movement patterns needed for sport.
- BUILD STRENGTH – Essential for restoring function and strength to pre-injury levels. Work through pain free ROM.
- RE-ESTABLISH PROPRICEPTION – Kinaesthesia and Neuromuscular control, this should be a primary concern post injury.
- FUNCTIONAL PROGRESSION – Gradually progress activities to restore normal function and prepare for reintroduction to sport. Every progression becomes a test; don’t progress any further until you have passed that test pain free.
You can use SPORTTAPE to assist injured joints and muscles throughout your healing and return to sport. If you’d like you can follow me on Twitter @danieljgreen, for training, competition updates and any questions you may have!
Going swimming with kinesiology sports tape is something that you should do if you have a constant ache or injury to make sure that you stay in good physical condition and exercise as is necessary.
Sports tape is an important resource for swimmers because it has a lot of benefits, all of which we’re happy to share with you. Let’s take a look at how you can use kinesiology tape while swimming, and how it can support you.
Injuries When Swimming
Swimming is a great physical activity and a powerful way to burn calories but at the same time, you can develop injuries from it which are hard to deal with if you’re not used to them.
Having kinesiology sports tape is a good way to prevent the injuries from becoming problematic and stopping you from exercising, and you can use them in many effective ways.
How to Use Kinesiology Sports Tape While Swimming
You can effectively use sports tape to secure your body and make sure that everything is protected whilst you are swimming, but it requires you to understand how the tape works.
You need to make sure that you secure a good bond for the tape, which you can do by patting it gently, and rubbing it to lock it into place. You have to achieve a proper seal with the tape, to make sure that it stands up to the rigours of exercise in the water.
The taper is more than capable of being used in the water, and it can be an effective way to keep your body from becoming injured further. You will want to make sure that when you get out of the water, you either dry the tape with your towel or you gently apply a hairdryer at a low temperature.
Why Use Kinesiology Sports Tape?
A tape like this is a powerful resource because it offers you freedom of movement whilst protecting you. The problem with other kinds of support is that they often restrict movement and stop you from exercising properly, which isn’t helpful if you have a fit and active lifestyle that you want to keep living.
Instead, using tape like this is the best way to get the ideal results, and it means that you will be able to keep exercising because the tape not only helps to heal the body but also offers the support that you need.
Final Thoughts
Kinesiology sports tape is an effective tool for making sure that you are protecting your body from harm. When you go swimming, you need to make sure that you have freedom of movement, whilst at the same time protecting your injuries and areas that aren’t as strong from any long-term consequences. Kinesiology sports-type helps to provide an effective method of doing so, supporting the areas without restricting movement to them, so you are free to do whatever you need to do. Check out our range to make sure you’ve got the best options.
You may have watched some sporting events and noticed the peculiar, colorful tape in a variety of patterns on athletes. Olympians have also increasingly started to wear the tape, known as Kinesio tape. Although it may seem like the latest trend among athletes, Kinesio tape has been around for decades. In this guide, you'll learn the fundamentals of Kinesio tape, how it works, and if it's a good option for your fitness routine.
What is Kinesio tape?
Kinesio tape is used as a form of therapy for athletes. For example, it's sometimes used in physical therapy to help alleviate pain to affected areas and stabilize muscles. Some athletes wear it before their sporting event as a type of preventative care as well. The tape is made from 100% latex-free elastic and cotton fibers. Kinesio tape acts like a second skin when applied to the body.
What does it do?
Kinesio tape is supposed to support your joints and muscles during and after your workout. It doesn't affect circulation and moves with your body so that you maintain total flexibility. When applied, Kinesio tape can help ease back pain, decrease overall soreness, and speed the healing process among other things.
How does it work?
To gain a better understanding of the effects of Kinesio tape, it's important to understand how the lymph system works. Lymph is a clear liquid that travels throughout the body. Although your heart pumps blood throughout your body, lymph is not aided by a pump. Instead, it is up to you to stimulate lymph flow through your daily activities. A stimulated lymph system helps get rid of toxic waste in your body. A lack of stimulation or a blocked path can result in swelling. In some cases, pain receptors are activated when there is pressure from blocked lymph flow and as a result, pain is felt throughout the affected area.
Whether you experience an injury or intense workout, the stress causes your skin and muscle to compact, blocking any space between the two. When the space is compacted, lymph is unable to adequately flow which creates swelling. Likewise, the tight compaction causes pressure on your pain receptors which sends signals to your brain that cause you to actually feel pain.
Here's where Kinesio tape comes in handy. When applied correctly to a muscle, Kinesio tape subtly lifts the skin creating a small space between your skin and muscle. With a secure space, lymph is able to flow and there is less pressure on your pain receptors. With these results, athletes have felt compelled to sport Kinesio tape when they exercise in order to prevent future discomfort after exercising.
Should I wear Kinesio tape?
Although Kinesio tape has been around for decades, there is no overwhelming scientific evidence proving its merits. However, that doesn't mean Kinesio tape is ineffective. It simply means that scientific evidence is inconclusive for now. Many athletes swear by the effectiveness of Kinesio tape and experience less bruising, soreness, and pain after a particularly intense workout or sporting event.
In addition, some experts have alluded to a placebo effect. While Kinesio tape can very well work effectively, athletes may be subconsciously affected by hearing the positive attributes of Kinesio tape. Thus, results are not truly reliable. Whether there’s clear evidence or not, athletes will continue to sport the colorful Kinesio tape.
*It must be noted that correctly applying Kinesio tape is left best to professionals. Although some Kinesio tape products come with instructional videos, only a trained professional in Kinesio taping can guarantee a correct taping.
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