Kinesiotaping : Mistakes + Tricks – Training for injuried Climbers
Welcome back to Part 2 of our Kinesiotaping Application Series. In Part 1 we learned what should and should not be taped. We also learned a few application No-Nos. Now on Part 2, we delve deeper into the tricks of the trade for tape application. This article is written by Dr Lisa Erikson-Brin, author of the book Climbing injuries solved.
Kinesiotaping. Rest assured, if after following these tricks your tape STILL doesn’t stick, you need to buy a different brand. This tape should stay attached for a few days. And with better brands, you need to tug it off at the end of the week. If you are a hairy person, you might consider shaving the area of tape application. Don’t worry, research shows that the tape works, even if it is only adhered to the hair. It lasts longer with these hard earned tricks. There are common Areas of improvement for kinesiotaping.
Kinesiotaping : Skin Prep
Make sure your skin does NOT have sunscreen, lotion or climbing chalk on it. You can use an alcohol prep pad, a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol on it, or if needed, a sticky adherent (Cramer Tape Adhesive Spray).
Kinesiotaping : Tape Application Tension
The biggest issue people have with their tape is keeping it on the skin. The ends tend to peal up with those who don’t know how to correctly apply it. In fact, the secret is TENSION! If there is ANY tension at the ends of your tape, it’ll either peel right up. Or it’ll make you more susceptible to a skin reaction.
Germanics or those with an additional autoimmune issue are slightly more likely to have a skin reaction to tape. Blistering, redness or ‘tape rash’ are signs that your body doesn’t like the tape adhesive. For those of you who get ‘tape rash’ from your tape, you might consider using a more gentle tape.
If you are getting a rash along the sides of your tape job, it’s too tight. Don’t worry, research shows JUST as much muscle recruitment with a lightly (no stretch) application of the stuff as tape that is pulled extra tight. We’re using it to stimulate the skin receptors in most applications.
Read more on the website of Dr Lisa Erikson-Brin
Buy the book Climbing injuries solved
