Thursday, March 13, 2014

Ben: 0, KT Tape: 2 - The Battle Continues

On our last two runs, I've applied KT Tape to Shira's knee for support, rather than having her use a bulky brace. The brace is hot in the winter, and almost unbearable in the summer heat, so tape is a nice option. I've been diligently following the instructions on the pamphlet that came with the tape, yet the KT Tape keeps peeling off her skin. My solution of just adding more tape to the pile doesn't really work.

After doing just a little research, I've realized I've been making a number of critical errors:

  • I was peeling the backing off wrong. This video shows a technique for peeling off the backing without ever touching the adhesive; the secret involves tearing the backing off versus just peeling it off.
  • I didn't realize that the ends of the tape always need to be applied with zero stretch. Again, this video clearly shows this.
  • I caught that I needed to rub the tape after it was applied, but I didn't realize why. The goal is to generate a little heat so that the adhesive kicks in. Apparently rubbing a piece of the backing against the tape is a good way to generate some heat.
  • I was misjudging the diagram in the pamphlet as to where the tape should be a applied for a knee. This video shows it quite clearly.

Finally, here's advice from the folks at KT to getting the tape to properly stick. This article repeats the same advice, but does so with a bit more detail as to why you're doing what you're doing.

Now I'm reading for a taping re-match!

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