Bandaging and taping techniques are routinely used by coaches,
athletic trainers and athletes to accomplish a variety of
objectives such as providing compression to minimize swelling in
the initial management of injury, reducing the chance of injury
occurrence by applying tape prophylactically (for prevention)
and to provide support to an already injured structure. These
practices are typically only a temporary solution in the
management of an injury. Consider an athlete experiencing
patellar tendinitis, commonly referred to as jumper’s knee.
While a tenodesis strap or brace for patellar tendinitis may
provide support and cushioning, the knee will not improve in
function without rest, anti-inflammatory remedies and
rehabilitation. However a middle ground has potentially been
developed. If you watched the Olympics in Beijing last summer
you may have noticed that many of the world’s top athletes
sported colorful taping configurations on assorted muscles and
joints. Kinesiology tape was developed in efforts to a