Wellness curious
You’ve seen it strapped to athletes and dedicated gym-goers. But does it really help?
If you’re looking to elevate your fitness game, kinesiology tape (aka KT tape) might be on your must-try list. After all, many athletes have been spotted wearing strips of neon-coloured tape on their arms, legs and, yes, faces, while competing. Kinesiology tape is made of elastic cotton, so it’s super stretchy. And it’s designed to kick-start the healing process – specifically, to soothe painful muscles and reduce swelling after an injury or intense workout. Here’s the DL on the sticky stuff...
It soothes aches and pains
FOR MANY, YES
There isn’t much robust research to back this up, but Anna Ribaudo, an orthopaedic clinical specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, has seen it work for plenty of patients. Kinesiology tape is designed to lift the skin up from the tissue below with its strong adhesive. Depending on how you apply it, you can compress or decompress the problematic area. If, for example, you twisted your ankle, you’ll want to give it some compression, which will keep it stable and help you return to normal activity, says Ribaudo. For muscle spasms, on the other hand, it’s decompression all the way. That said, to get the most out of it, you need to apply it correctly. This requires a good knowledge of anatomy, so you’ll most likely need help from a professional.
It calms swelling
IN CERTAIN CONTEXTS
While it doesn’t seem to make a difference in swelling caused by sports injuries, such as sprains, it may tame the issue af
