Let’s Talk Tape.

This seemingly innocent role of tape is some very powerful stuff. You have probably seen it on some of the best Olympic Athletes such as Kerri Walsh the volleyball player who rocks it on her shoulder for every game. Or you may have seen it on this guy, who always seems to have his shirt off.

David Beckham 

(The pink stuff on his left side is KT Tape, not another crazy tattoo.)

Ok, you say, so Olympic volleyball players and super hot soccer players wear this stuff, but what can it do for the average runner? A lot, is what I say to you.

The best part about this tape is that it comes in pre cut strips, and the most common injuries only require applying two strips. You can get up to 60 days of usage out of a box of 20 strips, and each application can last you up to 5 days. That is 5 days of whatever you throw at it, swimming with dolphins, super technical crazy opstical course mud runs, cage fighting, marathons, 100 mile runs through the mountains of Colorado, you name it this tape can handle it. The medical adhesive is built to stay on but pull off easily, no band-aid like cringing and pull it off quick so the pain is less. It comes off smooth and pain-free. We can’t guarantee you wont have a wacky tan line from it though. Don’t worry you will look hard-core. People will ask, “Where the heck did you get that wacky tan line from?” And you will respond casually, “Oh it was from my weekend swimming with the sharks in the coral reefs off Australia, I needed my KT tape so my shoulder wouldn’t hurt.” They will look at you stunned and say, “It stayed on even in the water?” And you will look at them as if that is the silliest question you have every heard. “Of course it did.” Yeah that tan line will be your badge of honor for whatever you conquered with your KT Tape on.  But I digress, back to the technical points of why it is good for runners.

Unlike the old way of taping up an injury, where you lose all mobility due to the wrap, KT tape is built to have a greater range of motion. It is designed for durability and strength, yet it provides unidirectional elasticity, which allows the tape to stretch but not give way on you. So whether you have it on your foot, your knee or anywhere else, you will be able to run freely and forget that the tape is there. The pain will be unnoticeable as well because the tape provides the support your muscles need to work properly.

For example: The three main pains we runners face. Runners Knee, Shin splints, and the dreaded Plantar Fasciitis.

Runner’s Knee

Our own Pat Jacobs demonstrates for us how KT tape will be placed for each of these common injuries. In the past people were forced to wear bulky wraps for Runners knee, now as you see above, just two strips of KT tape will lift and support the knee cap, holding it in place while you run.

 

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis  can be one of the most painful and annoying of all injuries. But with KT Tape you can support the sagging muscles in the arch of the foot, which will relieve some of the strain of Plantar Faciitis.

And the most common running injury of all, shin splints. I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t have someone come in with shin splints.

 Shin Splints

Notice on each of these pictures Pat only uses two pieces of tape for each injury. When you only have to apply two pieces, the process is quick and easy, and you are out on your run, or swimming with sharks before you know it.

Each box comes with easy step-by-step instructions for most injuries, including pictures!! And you get a pretty good variety of colors to choose from, black, blue, pink, beige, red and green.

Come by any of our stores to check it out, and if you are planning any big adventures make sure to pack it!! We want to see the tan lines!! Check it out online at www.kttape.com for a more professional explanation of it. Or type it in to Google images for awesome pictures of all the athletes that wear it!

And because we always like to provide you with a chance to learn more about the products we love. Tomorrow night at our Millburn location:

KT Taping Demonstration on Thursday, 2/23

Learn to use KinesioTape from the NY Jets team Chiropractor!

Dr. Jason Levy, the New Jersey 2011 Sports Chiropractor of the Year, also team chiropractor to the Jets and the NY Red Bulls MLS franchise, and his associate Dr. Courtney Centrelli will be conducting a clinic to teach methods of taping.  KinesioTape can be a valuable tool to help support joints and alleviate injuries, but knowing how to use it confidently can be a challenge.  Dr. Levy and Dr. Centrelli will demystify KT taping methods and show you how to apply it to help with achilles tendonitis, runner’s knee, and plantar fasciitis, the three most common running injuries.  This clinic will be held at the Millburn store on Thursday, February 23rd at 7 pm.

Dr. Levy and Dr. Centrelli are part of the team at Advanced Performance and Rehabilitation Center, one of the finest facilities for sports medicine in the NY/NJ area.

There you go. I hope I have provided you with plenty of avenues you can go down to learn more about the wonders of this little product! Don’t miss out on crossing things off the bucket list because your knee hurts, or your shoulder is on fire. Get some tape and get to it! Marathon. Check. Gator wrestling. Got it. Sky diving? No problem! It will hold! Go. Do. Be.