Avoid sports injuries with taping technique
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Members of a local functional training gym SENTINEL take part in a workshop introducing correct application instructions for kinesiology tape at the gym’s Samseong-dong branch (UPTOWN) in southern Seoul, March 5. / Courtesy of Emerson K Partners
By Baek Byung-yeul
When viewers watch Olympic Games or any big world championships, they notice once in a while that athletes are wearing tape wrapped around various parts of their bodies when they compete.
The elastic therapeutic taping, also widely called Kinesiology Taping Method, is known to relieve pain and improve performance as a good taping of a joint may help reduce pressure of overstretched and overused muscles and tendons and ease swelling in the tissues.
Though there have been questions about the effectiveness of taping, Prof. Hong Jung-gi at the College of Physical Education at Seoul’s Kookmin University said that taping the athlete properly can prevent possible injuries while training and alleviate pain from injuries especially over the short term.
“This taping method is effective not only for high level athletes but also for the ordinary people who hold back from training due to muscle pain,” Hong told The Korea Times at a local functional training gym SENTINEL’s Samseong-dong branch in southern Seoul on March 5.
“Therapeutic taping was first developed in 1950s and became popular among athletes after being introduced in the United States in the 1990s. When the tape is properly applied to the athlete’s injured tissue area, it helps reduce further injury and fatigue while working out,” Hong said.
Prof. Hong Jung-gi, left, applies kinesiology tape to CrossFitter Eric Carmody. / Courtesy of Emerson K Partners
The professor, who also gives advice on sports science to the gym’s coaches, held a workshop for the members of SENTINEL, which is known for specializing in CrossFit training, a combined training program of weight lifting, sprinting and gymnastics.
“For those who have sports injuries, applying tape can bring many kinds of positive effects. You don’t need surgery or to take medicine. You only need to know the correct way of applying the kinesiology tape,” the professor said. Hong served as a member of Korea’s youth weightlifting team and worked as a physical trainer for Ulsan Mobis Phoebus in the Korean Basketball League in the 1990s. Then he earned a doctoral degree in the sports medicine program at Oregon State University.
With dozens of the gym’s members joining the class, Hong gave application instructions. Most of them, who have been enjoying CrossFit training, have serious or small sports injuries.
Eric Carmody, the SENTINEL’s training coach, was also attending the session to learn about RockTape — a brand of kinesiology tape Hong uses.
Hong applied the RockTape to the left knee of the CrossFit athlete. After being treated, the Seoul-based American, who won the Reebok CrossFit’s Asia region competition in 2014, felt much more comfortable.
“I had a small knee surgery last October and felt discomfort while working out. But after Hong applied the kinesiology tape I can feel that my pain is reduced right away,” the CrossFitter said.
Improving natural healing process of our body
According to Hong, unless it is visibly severe injury, patients can ease their muscle pain with the therapeutic taping.
“The kinesiology taping is to assist our body’s natural healing processes. By applying the tape, it can lift the upper layers of skin so that it helps create more space between the skin and underlying muscles.
“And, the more widened space can lead to a smoother blood flow circulation and increased lymph drainage through the taped area,” Hong explained why the therapeutic taping helps decrease swelling and pain in the injured part of our body.
Preventing sports injury and enhancing muscle performance
Kinesiology taping drew worldwide attention during the 1988 Seoul Olympics when Japanese volleyball players were noticeably taped.
The professor said properly applied therapeutic tape can both prevent possible sports injuries and enhance muscle performance.
“As you see, the tape can be stretched 30 to 40 percent. With the great elasticity, the tape provides structural support to joints and muscle movements so that you can use your full range of movement,” Hong said and cited why the kinesiology taping is widely by athletes in CrossFit, gymnastics, skating or other sports.