What is taping?
Taping is a common skill used by Physiotherapists to reduce the likelihood of injuries such as ankle sprains, help allow optimal recovery by offloading soft tissue structures and to enhance performance. Taping can effectively manage common injuries and conditions including plantar fasciitis, patellofemoral pain syndrome, patella fat pad impingement, lateral ankle sprains, sciatica, and overuse conditions.
Taping can reduce pain and stress on injured tissues and swelling, as well as provide biomechanical correction for normal movement, increase stability, and enhance proprioception (sense of joint position).
Are there different types of taping?
There are two common types of tape – rigid and Kinesio taping. Rigid tape is primarily used to limit movement and physically support joints and anatomical structures, whereas Kinesio tape can be stretched and generally used to assist muscle function during movement due to the elastic potential energy in the tape. In addition to the different types of tapes, there is a variety of taping techniques used for different body parts for unique injuries/conditions and purposes.
For example, McConnell taping is a specific taping technique used to treat kneecap tracking issues in patellofemoral pain syndrome of the knee. Rigid tape will be used to reposition and correct the alignment of the kneecap to allow normal movement and optimal muscle function, therefore, reducing pain. On the other hand, Kinesio taping is used to better facilitate shoulder stabiliser muscles to help engage muscles in the shoulder during movement to reduce pain. Kinesio tape will allow free movement while increasing proprioception to allow certain muscles to better activate.
At Physio Ready our Physiotherapists will choose the most appropriate taping method for your injury or pain to assist your rehabilitation or performance. As precautionary measures, your skin integrity is checked for sensitivity, infections, fragility, open wounds, sensory loss, and circulatory problems. A hypoallergenic underlay is usually applied first with rigid tape to reduce allergic responses that may occur.
Here at Physio Ready our physiotherapists have undertaken extensive training in the use of taping for optimal outcomes. Through assessment if our physiotherapists identify the need for taping, it will be used to its full potential to help you overcome your injuries and pain.
Are you dealing with sporting injuries, chronic pain, overuse injuries or just feeling stiff and sore? Contact Physio Ready today on (02) 8622 1681 or (02) 9249 9122 and come in to see one of our expert physiotherapists today.