In pursuit of eternal youth, we spend a lot of money on injections whose effect is not eternal. Athletes also often face a monetary problem as they often suffer from injuries and each trip to a massage therapist is expensive. We found a tool that could equally please both fitness fans and people who wish to address their beauty issues, and its name is Kinesio taping.
Glorified by Athletes
Kinesio taping is a technique using rolls resembling adhesive plaster. This technique was used by sports trainers since it removes pain from sprains and bruises. Over time, this development has found its place in aesthetic medicine. The tapes themselves are fabric tapes soaked in acrylic glue. There are various types of tapes:
- Elastic or sports: have a large degree of elongation and longitudinal direction
- Cohesive: does not stick as they are designed to create a medical bandage
- Adhesive: sticks to any surface and perform their functions even under emergency loads
- Inelastic: made from 100% cotton
Tapes have long remained unknown until the development of kinesio tapes which were created in 1973 by Kenso Kase, an American doctor of Japanese descent. His invention changed the world of sports and aesthetic medicine. Thanks to these tapes, we can now eliminate injuries without surgical intervention.
These tapes became famous in 1988 at the Seoul Olympics and since then they have firmly established themselves in the market. Kinesio tapes differ from other types in ease of use since for their use a person does not require a doctor’s qualification. It is enough to know the basic principles of use.
Their Effect Is Not Only External
Kinesio tapes stick to the skin in the direction of the massage lines. In this case, the deep layers of the epidermis, fascial formations, muscles, and ligaments are exposed. The effect is achieved due to the fixation of skin in a static position, which reduces pressure in parts of the body and facilitates lymphatic drainage. The same tape can be worn from one to five days.
Kinesio tapes don’t interfere with everyday activities, as can be stretched by almost 140% of its original length and does not restrict a movement, despite the characteristics listed above. In addition, the tapes are quite thin and are not felt on the skin.
Help With a Wide Range of Problems
A very common misconception among beginners is the selection of tape by color. It is believed that tapes of certain shades are used for lymphatic drainage, others to restore ligaments, and so on. But color has no relation to the material. It is really worth paying attention to the purpose of the specific tape, which depends on such indications for use as sports injury rehabilitation, posture correction, wrinkle repair, or muscle soreness.
Easy to Use
A common kinesio tape has a length of 16 ft and a width of 1 inch. It is advisable to use it to restore the cervical spine or fix the joints. There are also wide ribbons (4 inches) that are suitable for wider areas such as the lumbar region. Thick tapes are convenient for manipulations on the face.
Before using this tape, you need to do epilation for better skin contact with tissue. Cut off a strip of material of the desired length and round its ends with scissors. Then you can give the tape a suitable shape, remove the protective layer and attach it to the treated area of ??the body.
Each tape is disposable and can be worn until the loss of adhesive properties. It is important to take breaks between courses as the strips are waterproof and the skin does not breathe under them. The tape can be removed without difficulty using oil-based cleansers. Moisten the bandage with oil, leave it for 10-15 minutes and slowly remove it in the direction of hair growth.
The effect of kinesio taping is noticeable after two or three procedures. The strips help increase muscle tone and restores a person after sprains and bruises. They quickly relieve facial muscles from hypertonicity and, as a result, wrinkles in the future. Taping is much cheaper than going to an osteopath or an aesthetic cosmetologist.
