Photo, Office, Dr. Haley Dr. Robert Haley, a sports chiropractor in Lyndhurst, applied Kinesio Tape to martial arts instructor Edson Carvalho of Paterson. Kinesio Tape was a popular sports therapy aid at the Beijing Olympics.

LYNDHURST (Sept. 11, 2008) — If you had been watching this summer’s Olympics, you might have asked, “What is that funny tape the athletes are wearing?” Well, the answer is that it is not funny at all, but called Kinesio Tape (KT).   

Kinesio Tape was invented by a Japanese chiropractor, Dr. Kenzo Kase in 1980. Many high-level athletes have been using this tape to help deal with injuries and improve performance. During the Beijing Olympic games, top U.S. beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh had been using Kinesio Tape to help with a shoulder injury. In one of her earlier games, both she and one of her opponents were sporting this unusual-looking tape. Kinesio Tape was also spotted in use by the United States water polo team and the Spain men’s basketball team.

So what is Kinesio Tape? Kinesio Tape is a technique that is based on the body’s own natural healing process. The taping exhibits its effectiveness by activating the neurological and circulatory systems. It provides four major functions: it helps supports muscles by improving muscle contraction in a weakened muscle and can reduce muscle fatigue; it can help remove congestion to the flow of body parts by improving blood and lymphatic circulation; it activates endogenous analgesic systems by possibly activating the spinal inhibitory system; and it also can help correct joint problems by adjusting misalignments which can be caused by spasms and shortened muscles.

Kinesio Tape is fundamentally different than conventional sports taping as sports taping is traditionally used to help restrict movements of muscles and joints; whereas, Kinesio Tape aims to allow free range of movement to an area to allow the body’s muscular system to heat itself biomechanically.

The taping technique is varied according to what the practitioner is trying to achieve. Different body parts might require different techniques and different tape tension. The tape comes in assorted colors which provides an instant visual for spectators. And if the water-resistant tape is used, the athlete can leave the tape on for two to three days. This is important as the injured area will get constant positive feedback.

Dr. Robert Haley, a sports chiropractor in Lyndhurst, is certified in Kinesio Taping and has seen the benefit with his patients. Dr. Haley claims that this revolutionary approach to continually stimulating the nervous and circulatory system through positive feedback helps gets patients healthier faster and is a tremendous adjunct to conventional treatment. He can be reached at 201-531-9400 for more information.