If you have practiced sports for long periods of time, you have probably heard your knee click, pop, and in some cases, a terrifying combination of both. And while noises do not necessarily mean injury, they can be a warning flag for things to come. Fortunately, kinesiology tape for knee injuries is available and can offer support to avoid damage in the future.
Knee injuries are prevalent in sports. No matter what athletic level the sports practitioner is, no matter the skills they possess, the possibility of an accident is always present. It can be the lack of proper technique while performing a heavy squat or falling and hitting the floor with an articulation of the knee. Not only can it be quite a painful experience, but it can also cause damage that takes a while to heal completely.
The knee is a complicated joint made up of several ligaments that can all be tweaked and twisted. Only recently, after years of thousands of MRIs and surgeries, modern medicine still finds and names new parts within the joint.
Kinesiology tape is a tool that can help bridge the time between the moment of injury to recuperation as long as the injury is not a break or open wound. Kinesiology sports tape offers a solution in the form of support and stability. The brightly colored tape stripes can offer support and even some pain relief when recuperating from an injury.
Kinesiology Tape for Knee Injuries: What Is a Knee Injury
Knee injuries or general pain in the knee commonly affects people who practice all sports. The pain may be the result of a sports injury, and an example could be a ruptured ligament that joined the joint to a muscle or torn cartilage due to a fall. The knee also suffers from several medical conditions, including arthritis, gout, and other infections that can lead to pain in the knee joint.
There are several key symptoms that a person should be aware of, and depending on where the individual feels, the pain can be an indication of a more significant problem. An athlete or any person should be aware of redness in the area, a sense of weakness or a feeling of instability, constant popping, clicking, crushing noises, general swelling of the area, and even problems when trying to straighten the leg at the knee.
Signs of what to look out for:
- Redness in the area
- Swelling
- Sense of weakness or instability
- Clicking or popping noises
- Problems straightening the leg or knee joint
If at any moment an individual feels their knees can bear any weight, have excessive swelling, can bend or extend the knee, feels a fever after an injury, or feels stabbing or excessive pain at the knee joint. In that case, they should see a doctor immediately.
A knee injury can cause significant discomfort; the knee pain can be brought upon by injuries or biomechanical problems such as types of arthritis.
Types of Injuries:
ACL Injury: A tear to the anterior cruciate ligament (which is one of four ligaments that keep the shin bone connected to the thigh bone). Injuries to this area are usually associated with athletes who practice induces sports and have quick changes in direction. Usually, soccer, basketball, martial arts, and similar sports where the practitioner’s mas do make sudden shifts in their footwork to complete a move are prone to this type of injury. The knee is not only twisting and turning. It is taking on a lot of weight and friction that can cause it to become injured. This includes competitive dance and similar activities where body movements are explosive and require much footwork.
Torn Meniscus: This rubbery cartilage acts like a shock absorber between the shin bone and the thigh bone and twists at the knee while weight is being put on it.
Fractures: The patella and other bones can be subject to breaks, usually due to a fall or other accidents.
Knee Bursitis: Inflammation in the tiny sacs of fluid that usually acts like a cushion. These are located just outside the knee that acts like a cushion or spring, so the tendons and ligaments move smoothly over the joints.
Patellar Tendinitis: Inflammation of the tendons. Those thick fibrous tissues are attached to bones and muscles.
Kinesiology Tape for Knee Injuries: Healing and the use of K-Tape.
The healing time may vary when it comes to treating sprains or strains. The recovery time for slight injuries might be between 2 and 4 weeks. Injuries resulting from a complicated accident can take anywhere from 4 to 12 months; in some cases, full recovery can take over a year. Healing always depends both on the treatment and the patient. The time for healing is a direct reference to the rest aspect of the R.I.C.E. method.
Using K-Tape can be incredibly beneficial if the injuries do not require immobilization and can be treated at home. In the specific situation where the knee joint can still be used while training, the tape can support and help recovery while allowing free movement.
Depending on the injury or the purpose of the tape there are several ways a person might want to wrap it. The use of tape for support of the knee can be used to target zones: the inner knee, the outer knee, the back of the knee, and the full knee wrap. The use of tape in these areas helps reduce inflammation and swelling.
Instructions: Try to apply the tape an hour before any activity.
1. Clean the area before applying the tape.
2. When the tape is applied, rub the tape as the heat created will activate the adhesive.
3. Remove the tape with soap and water or baby oil.
Inner knee tapping: Position the knee at a 90-degree angle. Firstly you will need a strip of Kinesiology Athletic Tape and stretch it 80%, then anchor (paste) the middle of the half strip of tape over the pained area. Finish applying the strip. Secondly, anchor the second strip of tape over the first to form an X shape above the pain point, following the same tension close to 80%. Thirdly apply the final piece of tape across the middle of the tape with no tension. Lay the tape, then pull it slightly and paste the final strip.
Outer Knee Tapping: The process is similar to the inner knee; with the same X shape, the position of the tape is changed from targeting the pain on the inside of the knee and to the outside. The X shape, followed by the anchor, provides excellent support and relief.
Back of the Knee: The back of the knee requires three strips of kinesiology tape. These are simply placed parallel to one another along the sides of the back of the knee. Start at the outside placing two tapes, then proceed to the other end placing one final tape.
Full Knee: The idea behind the entire knee wrap is to bring protection and support to the joint. Firstly bend the knee at a 90-degree angle. Secondly, place two strips of tape horizontally and across the front of the knee joint. These strips should only be slightly tensed when they are placed. Thirdly place a strip of tape extending from the inner thigh down and across the front of the knee, going over both strips of tape. Tense the tape slightly before crossing over the first tape then place the rest of it with no tension. Finally, cross the final strip of tape from the outer this tense and once again, once over the first horizontal piece of tape, release the tension and place it slack across the thirst strip of tape. The result should look like an X with two strips underneath.
While the placement of these tapes is used for support before and during exercise the same wraps can be used to treat an injury. The compression already provided by the tape can be complemented with the application of ice bags and elevation once the workout is done.
Kinesiology Tape for Knee Injuries: When Not to Use Tape and How to Remove It
There are specific injuries that are not appropriate for Kinesiology tape use. Any open wounds or fractures should be attended to by a medical professional. In the event that an individual feels shooting or stabbing-like pain in the knee, immediate medical attention is required, and medical attention should be sought as soon as possible for treatment.
Removing the tape can be painful if a person goes at it without taking the proper steps. The most common way to remove the strips of tape is by using warm water and soap to loosen the adhesive. Always remove the tape strips in the same direction the body hairs grow. Another way to remove the tape is by using baby oil in order to loosen the adhesive and allow the tape to be removed. The user will feel the adhesive’s grip slip, and once again, the tape should be removed following the way the hair on the body grows.
