Let's Go to the Tape

 

A runner's guide to the new generation of sport taping.

By

Julia Kirtland

Published

May 08, 2012

You've probably seen colored tape showing up on the legs of runners in the last few years, including Meb Keflezighi, masters ace Tracy Lokken and other elites. Blue, pink or black, it looks pretty cool. But what's it supposed to do?

Kinesio taping was developed by Kenzo Kase in the mid-1970s. (Kinesio is just one of many brands, but has become to this type of taping what Q-tips are to cotton swabs.) As a chiropractor and acupuncturist in Japan, Kase created the tape in response to the limitations he encountered working with rigid sport tape. Traditional sport tape is designed to immobilize the joint it's applied to. Kase wanted a tape that, according to Kinesio's promotional materials, would "facilitate the body's natural healing process while allowing support and stability to muscles and joints without restricting the body's range of motion."

The tape has a texture and elasticity similar to skin. When applied, it microscopically lifts the skin. This is thought to increase blood and lymph flow in the area, increasing circulation and reducing pain. The tape's stretch properties can be used to assist in relaxing overused muscles and stabilizing joints.

CLAIMS AND REALITY

To date, minimal research has been done regarding the effects of taping, especially on athletes, and few of the studies have looked at conditions relevant to runners. One study that examined the effects of Kinesio taping on the treatment of patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) concluded, "The addition of Kinesio taping to the conventional exercise program does not improve the results in patients with PFPS, other than a faster improvement in hamstring muscle flexibility." Another study that examined the effects of Kinesio taping on muscle strength in the quadriceps and hamstrings found that taping didn't change muscle strength in healthy athletes.

Of course, this hasn't stopped tape manufacturers from making all sorts of claims. In addition to the ones listed above by Kinesio, you'll hear that elastic taping can "re-educate the neuromuscular system," boost performance by enhancing blood flow, and even improve running form by delaying fatigue in your body's weak spots.

Along with most of my fellow massage therapists, I take a more down-to-earth view of elastic taping's benefits. For starters, I don't tape unless there's an injury or a chronic trouble spot. Some of the clients I've taped have said that it helped, others not. One of my clients was successfully treated for a sprained ankle by a physical therapist who taped the ankle. He said that his ankle felt better almost immediately after the taping was started. His treatment also included ultrasound and exercises, making it hard to tell how much the taping helped. Nonetheless, his range of motion increased, and his pain decreased.

When I was racing marathons at the national-class level, my go-to massage therapist was Sue Wesley, who finds that most of the runners she sees have problems with their balance muscles, specifically the iliotibial band and gluteals. She's had success taping these areas, and also regularly tapes areas such as the arch of the foot and the pelvis to help with stabilization. Other conditions where taping might help runners include shin splints, calf tightness and various foot and calf injuries. Some of my clients have learned to tape themselves and found it helpful in dealing with the tightness and pain that comes with everyday training. See the following pages in this article for general taping techniques and instructions for taping three common injuries.

For most runners, taping is used in combination with other treatments.

Jamie Raymond, a chiropractor who works with competitive runners in Portland, Maine, uses taping to help manage injuries, but not necessarily to fix them. "Many people will self-manage iliotibial band issues for years with stretching, foam rolling, ice, and training modification," he says. "In that context, Kinesio taping is another helpful adjunct in helping to manage the pain and inflammation associated with the condition." But, he stresses, "It doesn't address the underlying hip and/or foot biomechanical problems that most often cause iliotibilal band injuries."

In other words, taping alone may not heal your injuries, but it can help you keep running while you get the underlying problem under control.

STICKING POINTS

Keep these things in mind to ensure that your tape can do its thing:

• The area taped must be clean, dry and free of oils or lotion. Otherwise, the tape won't stick to your skin. If you're very hairy, you'll need to shave the area to be taped, or the tape won't stick.
• The muscle or area taped should be put into a position of stretch before taping.
• The ends are always laid down with no tension.
• Once the tape is applied, rub the tape with the palm of your hand to activate the adhesive.
• Wait 30 minutes after applying the tape to exercise, or it might come off.
• Don't go out in the cold immediately after applying tape, or it won't adhere.
• Don't shower or swim within an hour of taping. After an hour the tape can get wet and will stay on.

The tape can be left on for three to five days. For some people, however, it might not stay on this long, especially in areas that tend to be moist (like feet), or that receive constant rubbing from clothes.

Feel free to trim ends that peel off.

If you have sensitive skin, beware! The tape may irritate your skin.

To take the tape off, slowly peel at the ends in the direction of your hair. It's easiest to take off when it's moist, as after a shower. Don't grip and rip.

Regardless of what brand you buy, the tape isn't cheap. A roll of 2-inch tape (the most commonly used) costs $10 to $20, which should last for 10 to 15 applications, depending on the size of the area you're taping.

TAPING TIPS FOR THREE COMMON INJURIES

Plantar Fasciitis

1. Measure the tape from your heel to the ball of your foot and cut to that length. Cut it into four tails, leaving the last 2 inches uncut as an anchor. (You can use a solid strip if you have problems with the tails loosening.)

2. Flex your foot, pointing your toes up, and anchor the 2-inch base to your heel.

3. Apply the tails toward your toes with no stretch.

4. Measure another piece of tape around your foot.

5. Anchor this strip at the outside top edge of your foot. Tape from outside to inside to support the arch, pulling up a little with the tape at the end.

6. Lay down the end with no tension on the top of your foot.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome

1. Measure the tape from your hip to your knee.

2. Lie on your side with your leg extended.

3. Anchor the tape right below your knee and run it up your outer thigh to your hip, with no stretch.

4. Cut a second strip 4 to 6 inches long and apply it on the side of your knee, over the area where you have pain, stretching the tape in the middle halfway between maximum looseness and tightness.

5. Lay down the ends with no stretch.

Shin Splints

1. Measure the tape from your ankle to the inside of your knee.

2. Flex your foot, toes pointing up, and anchor the tape below your ankle.

3. Run the tape up along your shin with no stretch.

4. Cut a second strip 4 inches long and apply it across the inside of your shin, over the area where you have pain, stretching the tape in the middle halfway between maximum looseness and tightness.

5. Lay down the ends with no stretch.

(This taping can be done on the outer calf if you have pain on the outside.)

TAPING TECHNIQUE

Regardless of what area you're taping, follow these general instructions.

Cut the tape to the size needed. Round off the edges with scissors to reduce the chances of fraying.

Stretch the area to be taped. Muscles should be elongated when you apply the tape.

Rip the tape about 2 inches from the end and remove a 2-inch section of backing.

With the muscle elongated, anchor the 2 inches of exposed tape at the base of the area you're taping. Don't stretch the tape. Rub the anchor point with your hand to activate the tape's adhesive.

Carefully peel off the backing of the remaining tape and gently lay it on the area you're taping.

Lay down the end of the tape with no tension.

Rub the entire tape again with the palm of your hand.