With the Wimbledon Tennis tournament taking centre stage this week, we're looking at how Kinesio Taping may be able to help with a common injury within the sport - Tennis Elbow, or lateral epicondylitis.
Many people with tennis elbow participate in activities that require repetitive and vigorous use of the forearm muscle - so racquet sports and some everyday activities can put you at risk.
It's a condition that causes pain around the outside of the elbow - the tendons that join the forearm muscles on the outside of the elbow get inflamed. Usually, the condition manifests in the dominant arm with mild pain which worsens over several weeks or months. Common signs and symptoms to look out for are: pain or burning feeling in the outer part of your elbow and weak grip strength.
Around 90% of patients have success with non-surgical treatment. A GP and physiotherapist will be able to assess your condition and try various techniques to reduce the pain. These may include exercise, deep tissue massage, ultrasound therapy or laser therapy.
Kinesio Taping has also become a popular option as it can help to provide support. A trained Kinesio Taping therapist can offer advice on how to improve your condition and show you how to tape the arm. We'd recommend visiting a practitioner in the first instance to ensure you have a correct diagnosis and rehab plan. However, we've also provided a step by step guide below (you'll need a roll of Kinesio Tex Tape - Classic or FP - www.kinesiotaping.co.uk)
1. Cut an approximate 30cm I strip of tape. The strip of tape should be long enough to extend from just beyond the elbow to the wrist as pictured. If needed, trim the strip to the appropriate length.
2. With the elbow slightly bent, place the anchor of the strip above the elbow bone on the back of the arm.without stretching the tape, begin applying the strip through the outside portion of the elbow joint and continuing down the top of the forearm and ending just before the wrist joint. Once applied in the correct place, it is important to rub the tape to activate the adhesive.
3. Cut a 10-12cm strip of tape. On the back of the arm, place the anchor of the strip just beyond the first strip above the elbow bone.With the elbow slightly bent, apply the strip with moderate tension directly over the area of discomfort while making sure the tape does not pass through the elbow crease. Apply the remaining 1-2 inches of the tape strip without adding any tension. Rub the tape. Application complete!
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