KT Tape

KT tape is a brand of kinesiology tape which is used to help rehabilitation, prevention, and maintenance.  I initially noticed the product when we brought it into the store.  I didn't give it much consideration because I thought it was just another athletic tape.  My opinion of the tape started to change when I noticed a significant number of cyclist using it on their calves and quads during the Waterloo, WI Centurion ride/race.  A couple months after I participated in the race I decided to pick up running again, stopping due to knee problems, and soon after I started my knees started bothering me again.  My knees would hurt below the knee cap and just to the outside of center.  After the first time I picked up running, I was forced to stop running due to knee pain  and I decided to do a little research and self diagnosed myself with runners knee.  Now that I had taken a brake for ruffly eight months, I was confused that my knees were already hurting again after about six miles over five days and started thinking that I may never be able to pick up running as a hobby.

I decided that before I put up my running shoes for good that I would try some KT tape and see in that would help.  The first time I put the tape on it ended up pulling off about 30 minutes later.  Being the first time I ever tried applying any type of athletic tape to any part of my body I decided that it was probably a mistake on my part.  I waited until the next day and applied a 10 inch strip to my left knee in the pattern that they recommended for runners knee shown in the following pictures.

After I waited the recommended 30 minutes before activity I started walking around and seeing if any drastic change had occurred.  After the rest of the day including four hours of walking on concrete at work, my left knee felt a lot better then it did at the beginning of the day.  The knee cap seemed to be supported and I assumed that my knee was tracking better then before.  I decided that the big test was going to be when I ran with it on.  On that next run I finished with my knee not hurting and decided that the KT tape was worth the money.

I found that the KT company says that the tape will last 2-3 days on knees, but it doesn't fall off after that amount of time.  What happens is that kinesiology tape has elastic properties and with the tape around a joint like the knee that elastic properties diminish and the tape doesn't have full effect after 2-3 days.  Also with having hairy legs I looked up to see whether I needed to shave the area that the tape was going on and the site said that you didn't need to because the tape will contact better to short hair rather then having no hair at all.  I decided that before I cut my leg hairs down to 1/8 on an inch, which is what the recommended, I would try it on my leg as it is now.  The following pictures shows what happens if I don't apply the tape just right.  The tape will stick to a leg with long hair, but if you don't tape it right and you don't let the tape fully set before moving at all then the tape starts to pull its self off.

The experiences that I have had with  KT (kinesiology) tape has been very good.  It allowed me not to fear running so much and has helped me in everyday life when my muscles get sore.  As long as the tape is applied correctly and the applicator has some practice with applying athletic tape I beleive that the tape will help a person out who has small muscle and joint problems.  As with all tapes and braces, they are not a replacement for medical advise and in order to save from a lot of hassles down the road I believe that sport doctors should be visited if you ever experience an issue with exercise and training.