Interested in learning about taping and strapping? Let's take a look at our 2-day November course with Adrian to find out more about what goes on in the classroom!
Day One
During the first day, the students focused on traditional taping and strapping techniques, while the second day was all about exploring kinesiology taping. These two types of tape have distinct materials and serve different purposes when it comes to application.
Traditional taping typically involves rigid or semi-rigid tapes like athletic tape or zinc oxide tape. These tapes are often non-elastic or have minimal stretch, providing stability and support to joints and muscles. They restrict movement and are commonly used to immobilise injured areas, prevent excessive motion, or support weak or injured tissues during recovery. Traditional tapes are designed to restrict joint movement by limiting range of motion, providing compression, and offering structural support.
On the other hand, kinesiology tape is made of elastic cotton fabric that mimics the elasticity of human skin. It has a unique stretch and recoil capability, allowing for a wide range of motion while providing support. Kinesiology tape is designed to lift the skin slightly, creating space between the skin and underlying tissues. This lifting effect is believed to promote blood flow and lymphatic drainage, reduce pain, and support injured muscles or joints without restricting movement. It's commonly used for rehabilitation, performance enhancement, and managing pain.
The students did remarkably well on the first day, considering it was their introduction to these taping techniques. They covered a range of applications, addressing various issues such as planter aponeurosis, Achilles tendinopathy, and ligament sprains in different joints including the knee, ankle, thumb, wrist, and elbow, as well as examining injuries related to the glenohumeral joint.
Day Two
Day two delved further into postural, structural, and movement dysfunctions, focusing on how to apply kinesiology taping accordingly.
One of the students asked a great question about whether you could combine the two types of tape. Adrian suggested trying it out and the feedback on this ‘mixed’ taping method was really positive.
For instance, in one trial, they used traditional tape for stability by applying tow stirrups and a figure six for a lateral ankle ligament sprain, followed by K tape with the idea of decompressing the underlying tissues with two heel locks. They also experimented similarly with the shoulder, aiming to expand their understanding.
The feedback was encouraging, suggesting that exploring the fusion of these taping techniques could offer new therapeutic possibilities.
It's always insightful to push the boundaries and experiment in these scenarios!