FO SEMINAR IN TAPING TIPS R O C K TA P E S E M I N A R P R E - R E A D 2 0 1 3
Thank you for choosing Rocktape to introduce you to the skills and knowledge required for successful Kinesiology taping. Our Fascial Movement Taping syllabus has been developed by the experienced and highly qualified Rocktape UK medical team in collaboration with a team of Physiotherapists, Chiropractors and Anatomists from the USA, UK and Australia.
How does Kinesiology tape work? This is what we endeavour to answer during your time with us. It remains a difficult question to answer in a scientific and rigorous manner, as the exact mechanisms underpinning the profound clinical effects remain uncertain. With brevity we can report that tape produces a variety of positive outcomes, including; normalising muscle tone, reducing pain and promoting a healing environment, supporting damaged tissue and improving blood flow and lymphatic drainage. the end. Peel away the backing paper of this small end section and apply it to the skin with no stretch. Firmly rub the applied tape onto the skin. 3. Place the area to be taped into a stretch. E.g. if you are applying the tape over the extensor muscles of the forearm, you should flex your wrist and extend your elbow to stretch the tissue. 4. Apply the remainder of the tape with a light stretch until you reach a point one to two inches from the end of the tape. Here you must allow the tape to recoil slightly from the backing paper before sticking it down. The tape is stretched by about 25% onto the backing paper. So paper off tension is equal to approximately 25% stretch. Firmly rub the tape down onto the skin and test to see if your application allows a full and comfortable range of movement. You will have plenty of time to practice this and ask questions during the course, so don t worry if you end up in a sticky mess (try to avoid touching the glue side of the tape). Application practice For those of you who have not used Kinesiology tape before, we recommend that you have some informal practice at handling and applying Kinesiology tape. This is only a recommendation and far from a prerequisite, so do not panic if you join us having not done your homework. A simple symptom reduction application for a tennis elbow pathology can be performed on your own forearm or, more easily, on a friend s. An introduction to our education programme 1. During the Fascial Movement Taping course we will be introducing you to the following application methods. Symptom reduction taping Oedema control taping Postural control taping Powertaping Symptom reduction taping 1. Cut the tape to the desired length using sharp scissors, then round off the corners to avoid the tape catching on clothing following application. 2. Grip the end of the tape between both hands and pull so that the backing paper rips about one inch from Symptom reduction taping is often the first taping application following an injury. The chief aim of these techniques is to reduce pain and, as a consequence, improve movement and function. Proprioception should also be improved.
Oedema control taping Oedema control techniques can be used following acute swelling, or for more chronic swollen areas. Preliminary research has reported kinesiology tape to be a favourable alternative to regular compression strapping. We have also had some success with regional hypersensitivity syndromes. Posture control taping Posture control taping is used to enhance the effectiveness of your postural correction treatment, providing a lasting cutaneous sensory cue to corrective movement patterns. Over the thoracic spine, for example, where we may have once used a rigid zinc oxide tape, we can now apply Kinesiology tape to achieve a much more comfortable and longer lasting postural stimulation. Powertaping Taping movement, not muscles Powertaping, unique to Rocktape, is an exciting taping application with potential performance enhancing benefits. The tape is applied along the fascial lines (anatomy trains) or functional lines of the body to improve proprioceptive feedback and either control or prevent injuries. The application techniques can be a little challenging, but the outcomes are a unique look and a profound feel for the athlete. Research continues into the effects of Powertaping applications, but the initial evidence suggests significant benefits. On the course you will have the opportunity to learn and practice a variety of application techniques,with the aim of you treating your first patient with tape immediately after the course. You will learn the key concepts and principles that underpin the taping methods and this will allow you to customise your applications for each patient. Why should I use ROCKTAPE? You could use any brand of Kinesiology tape following your training with us. There are essentially two types of tape: cheap tape and good tape. We highly recommend you avoid using cheap tape on your patients, as it often peels and frays much faster than high quality tape and this may differentiate you from a therapist using a better quality brand. Our education programme is not based on us selling Rocktape to you, but please allow us to briefly highlight our brand differentials. Rocktape can stretch up to 180% of its original length, which is considerably more than many other brands. This feature, combined with the highest quality hypoallergenic adhesive, simply means that Rocktape remains in place for longer than other brands. This is one of the key reasons clinicians choose to use Rocktape and participate in our education workshops. Rocktape was born out of a desire to improve an existing product and this desire continues to motivate us to constantly improve and progress our products and education programme. We hope you have found this pre-reading informative and useful. We look forward to welcoming you onto our course and hope you enjoy the benefits of Kinesiology taping.
Further Reading To appreciate the underlying concept of our taping application method, we would encourage you to familiarize yourself with the work of Thomas Myers, who so wonderfully described the largely overlooked reality of human tissue before the anatomist s knife slices through and removes the irregular connective tissue known as fascia. While famous anatomists such as Gunter von Hagens continue to educate us about the body s systems, they often fail to demonstrate one of the most important elements of biology our connectedness. While most therapists appreciate that muscles contract and relax in an integrated fashion, we are often illaware of the structural connections between supposedly separate musculature. Upon appreciating this at a muscular macro-level, it becomes evident that these communications must continue right down to a cellular level, where integrins provide links between the extracellular matrix of our connective tissue and the cells themselves. This model suggests an adhesive, elasticated tape, when placed correctly over a structure, could influence our function via a much deeper mechanism than its superficial application may suggest. In the images below you can see the structural integration of muscle and fascia, described as an Anatomy Train by Thomas Myers. The left image displays the superficial back line, that runs from the plantar fascia, through the periosteum of the posterior calcaneus, continuing up through the Achilles tendon and gastrosoleus complex and into the hamstring group before joining the thoracolumbar fascia by travelling along the superficial fibers of the sacrotuberous ligament. From here, the connective tissue continues its journey up the erector spinae and into the galeaaponeurotica, over the surface of the cranium. One of our Powertaping applications involves the functional application of tape along part, or the whole, of this line (right hand image).