Here at Columbia Gorge Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine we use tape for many different reasons. Tape can be used to:
▪ speed healing
▪ eliminate swelling
▪ eliminate bruising
▪ decrease pain
▪ support sore muscles
▪ support injured joints
▪ protect and reinforce injured ligaments and tendons
▪ improve posture
▪ help a muscle contract better
▪ keep a muscle from contracting as much
▪ improve body awareness
Can tape help my injury?
Tape can be used for most orthopedic injuries and is beneficial at all phases of healing–from the first few minutes to the first few times you get back to exercising.
We use two kinds of tape to help support and heal injuries quickly:
Kinesiotape is perfect for eliminating swelling and bruising, supporting muscles, and helping with muscle contraction while an injury is healing. It can be used on nearly any injury from plantar fasciitis to neck pain. Kinesiotape is a cotton tape that is breathable, hypoallergenic, virtually waterproof, and stretchy so it moves with you. It comes in a variety of colors and is comfortable enough to wear for three days or more. You can even swim or shower with it on.
Leukotape works remarkably well to support injured joints, tendons, and ligaments. It can prevent movement after an ankle sprain, or improve normal movement in the case of kneecap pain or a shoulder injury. We also use it to improve posture and body awareness. Leukotape is a rayon-backed adhesive tape that has an extremely strong zinc oxide adhesive. It is very rigid and will not give with movement, even when you sweat. It can be used directly on your skin or can go over a protective cloth tape.
Can I tape myself?
Our goal is to educate and empower our patients to help themselves when appropriate and safe. We will teach you how to tape yourself so that you can manage your injury when we can’t be there. If you are unable to reach the injured area, or if the taping is too complex, we are happy to teach a family member or friend to tape you. We sell rolls of all the tape we use for a reasonable cost. If you are injured, let us know right away so we can teach you how to use tape to speed your healing.
