Kinesio tape. It was first brought to my attention during Euro 2012, with Italian players such as Buffon and Balotelli strapping this bright blue tape on the bodies. And since the Olympics has kicked off, I’ve seen it a lot more.

According to Kinesio it is adhesive strapping designed to provide muscle and joint support without restricting movement. However, it can only be applied by skilled practioners who have been on a course on how to apply it. Apparently, more than 4,000 people now know this technique and I should imagine many of the Olympic team doctors. However, there appears to be fairly minimal evidence that it can relieve pain or improve muscle strength.

From Reuters:

Kevin Anderson, managing director of Kinesio UK has said “There’s nothing magical in the tape, it certainly can’t improve your performance or make you into Superman, but the way people use the tape is to lift the skin, reduce the pressure and that helps relieve pain and swelling.”

Steve Harridge, a professor of human and applied physiology at King’s College London, said many athletes appeared to be wearing tape even when they had no injury, possible hoping for some preventative or enhancing effect.

“It may be a fashion accessory, and it may be just one of those fads that come along from time to time, but to my knowledge there’s no firm scientific evidence to suggest it will enhance muscle performance,” he told Reuters.

Both scientists agreed, however, that there may be a benefit, in the form of the placebo effect.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/01/us-oly-science-tape-day-idUSBRE86U0ZN20120801

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Have you noticed the increasing use of this tape? Can it really prevent injuries? Who is being trained in how to use it? Are athletes just using it as a fashion statement? Is it part of sporting superstitions?

Source: BJM/doc2doc