Kinesiology taping has been steadily gaining popularity with athletes in all types of competition. Horse riders in particular are finding the effects of tape highly useful. Many of us horseback riders are "weekend warriers" with a 9-5 desk job during the week. This means that our rider fitness level isn't the best it could be. Therefore, we are more prone to injuries while riding, and many of us suffer from stiffness and muscle soreness after a long ride.
Kinesiology taping can help to alleviate much of this soreness. It also has many uses to prevent injury, and for decreasing healing time after an injury does happen. Spring is coming, and many of us find ourselves hitting the ground more often than we would like riding excited horses who have had a long winter with little to no exercise.
Kinesiology tape, if correctly applied, can help to decrease inflammation after an injury. It can also help to support weak muscles while we begin our spring conditioning programs. Bruising and swelling can be significantly decreased if tape is applied soon after an injury, but the tape can also be useful to prevent generalized stiffness.
For equestrians, I often find that patients complain of knee, hip and low back pain. There are many specific taping patterns for each type of pain, and after the tape is applied the patient will wear it for three to five days.
The type of tape applied, and the method of application used, will depend on actual symptoms.
More to follow!
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