Do you experience joint pain during or after your HIIT workouts? It can be frustrating when you want to push yourself to run that extra mile or do the unmodified versions of a jump lunge, but your knees start talking to you. If this sounds all too familiar, you could consider trying Kinesio tape to give those aching areas some extra support.
In the 1970s, a Japanese Chiropractor named Kenzo Kase wanted to develop a supportive and stabilizing tape that acted as human skin. Kinesio tape is made of cotton and spandex with a heat-activated acrylic adhesive to keep it well in place while sweating. You’ll sometimes see athletes with long bright colored strips of this tape somewhere on their bodies before the start of a competition.
It’s suggested that Kinesio tape works in up to three ways:
- Increases joint space in knees and/or shoulders, potentially lessening joint pain.
- Providing support to joints and muscles.
- It Impacts pain signals. Individuals feel the tape when they are working out, which can change the pain signals sent to the brain.
If you’re interested in considering if you would benefit from Kinesio tape, check in with your health care provider. Correct positioning of the tape is essential, requiring the expertise of a specialist.
