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Can kinesiology tape really improve your workout?
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Many athletes report feeling better when they wear the tape, especially if they apply it near areas that feel achy or strained.
PHOTO: ERIC HELGAS/NYTIMES
Danielle Friedman
Over the past decade, kinesiology tape has become a fixture of physical therapy offices, gyms and running trails. And with fall marathon season under way, you are likely to see many athletes sporting the colourful elastic tape, often referred to by the popular brand name KT Tape, while running and cross-training.
The stretchy strips, which are designed to move with your body as a kind of second skin, have developed a reputation for helping everyday athletes manage pain, prevent injury and improve performance. There are now dozens of iterations of the tape on the market, with different degrees of adhesion, elasticity and water resistance. Some are even infused with special ingredients like menthol or copper.
