Kinesio taping and Minor Injuries

Dwight Freeney of the Indianapolis Colts was injured on Sunday during their game against the Chicago Bears. The Colts are concerned as to whether or not their player will be able to get back into the game next week or even this season. This will all depend on the severity of the injury to his ankle. Since ankle sprains can vary greatly in their severity, the injury could mean resting for a few days to an entire season.

A popular treatment that we have seen on our televisions lately is kinesio taping. Think back to the Olympics and the colored tape that you saw all over the swimmers and volleyball players. This type of tape has become popular quickly due to the personal testaments of the Olympic and professional athletes. The tape is used to assist injured joints and muscles to allow the athlete the ability to play with minor injuries.

Kinesio taping is applied along the length of a muscle or around a joint to offload the area and provide increased support allowing the injured area assistance. It is a waterproof tape that can be left on the skin for 3 days. There are no known contraindications to using the tape other than some fair skinned people may have a mild reaction. The tape can be bought at any of your local sports stores, but in order to learn how to properly apply the tape you must schedule a visit with your podiatrist. They can properly show you how to apply the tape as well as examine your injury.

It is important to assess the level of injury in order to determine the treatment that is best. Although, kinesio taping can be very helpful for mild injuries or for sore muscles anything that is more severe requires physical exam. After an exam, your podiatrist will be able to determine what extent of treatment you need as well as how long you will need to rest.

If you or someone you know is interested in kinesio taping, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to help determine what the best treatment would be for you. Our offices treat the Tewksbury, Reading, Methuen and Lowell, Massachusetts area.