Sporttape Blog

We were delighted when the lads at soccerreviews.com got in touch and wanted to do a review of our kinesiology tape but were even happier to read the findings of their trial…  With thousands of followers, soccerreviews.com is the go to site for football fans looking to get league performance updates, the latest football boot reviews and much more.  Basically it’s a football mecca!

Lately we have seen a host of footballers wearing kinesiology tape, which has been pioneered by Spurs left back Gareth Bale, a real kinesio tape fan. The tape is perfect for footballers.  Due to its simplicity it has a multitude of uses including; pain relief, swelling and inflammation reduction, provides structural support to joints and muscles, which as a result can enhance athletic performance.

But don’t just take our word for it, soccerreviews.com agree. Following their review of our Groin Pre-Cut product, their verdict was a solid and resounding 8/10.  According to Connor Woodford who tried the product first-hand: “Kinesiology tape seems to live up to its “magical” billing by indeed limiting the chance of wear and tear of respective muscles… I suffered none of my usual issues that normally incur when I applied my Pre-Cut K-Active tape!”

You can read the review in full right here and as always if you have any questions, need any advice or have product feedback just drop us a line, we’d love to hear from you.

As you may know we were fortunate enough to meet and help train some of the Team GB medical staff earlier this year. Often overlooked by the media it is these guys that literally hold Team GB together. Therefore we were delighted to read an article in The Telegraph today featuring the backroom staff including coaches and physio’s working with Team GB ahead of this summer’s Olympic games.

Covering key areas such as mental and physical preparation as well as the importance of nutrition, however it was great to see chief physiotherapist for Team GB Caryl Becker talk about the use of alternative medicine and how kinesiology tape will be used to support the athletes. 

According to Caryl, “During the Olympics it’s like a conveyor belt, with people in the clinic all the time. Treatment has to be fast but effective.” 

"The fact everyone is now more open to alternative medicine makes this job really interesting. At the moment there’s a fad for [taping injuries with] coloured kinesiology tape, even though there’s a lot of debate about how it works. We’re really open to ideas and something like acupuncture is now used by all of us, and has been for at least a decade."

We look forward to supporting Team GB and seeing how kinesiology taping becomes a key treatment tool for the athletes competing in the Games.

As ever if you have any questions just post them below or get in touch. 

We love to hear how our users get on with our kinesiology tape but we love it even more when we get sent an action or application shot. To pay homage to all our wonderful users we've started a "Sporttape in action" board on Pinterest. 

As you will see it's a "work in progress" so as a small thank you ( and a little incentive) we will give you a 10% OFF Voucher if you send us a picture of yourself wearing kinesiology tape.  

So what are you waiting for? Get out your camera and make sure you have a fast shutter speed! 

P.S We've also put together a board for a few people you may recognize! Kinesiology tape really has taken the sporting world by storm.

This week we are delighted to bring you an excellent guest post written by Lisa Opie who runs Osteopath West in Chiswick, specialising in Osteopathy and sport rehabiliation. We hope it will be the first of many!

With the Virgin London Marathon, triathlon season and the Marathon des Sables looming, February and March have been very busy months for me at Osteopath West. Many patients have been calling in especially requesting kinesiology taping.

Knees have been the problem this month for runners, some with swelling where I have used the lymphatic drainage kinesio taping technique and others with patella pain due to tight muscles.

The blue and yellow lymphatic tape below was used 3 or 4 times on Gail Edmans who, this week, embarks on her 1^st Marathon des Sables running 151miles over 6 days in the Sahara desert. Gail says: “my left leg isn’t as strong as my right due to a congenital problem with my left hip, therefore when I increased my training for the MdS I had quite a lot of knee swelling. I found that this style of kinesiology taping from Lisa kept the swelling down but didn’t restrict the knee at all”.

In contrast, another MdS competitor pictured below had what is know as ‘runners knee’ due to tight quadricep muscles and iliotibial band (ITB). I decided to reduce tension in her thigh muscles, loosen the fascial tightness along her ITB and give her some lateral patella support to stop the kneecap being pulled laterally.

Earlier in the year a young county rugby player came to me as he had dislocated his shoulder some months back and acquired a ‘slap lesion’. This is where one of the biceps tendons tears away from the shoulder joint. He is due to have an operation at the end of the season but wanted to continue to play the rest of the season and came to me asking about the ‘coloured taping’. I decided to use the K-Active kinesiology tape to take tension off his bicep muscle, support his shoulder and improve posture. He found it useful and came back 3 more times as he found it supportive enough to continue playing. I have to add that his great upper body muscular strength was also a reason why he was able to continue playing with the tape adding the extra support.

These are just a few examples of how I taped some sporting injuries. Many other patients who I have taped on are non-sporty. One example is a female teacher who has constant arthritic pain in her knees and we found that when they ‘flared-up’ the lymphatic drainage taping kept the swelling down.

Shoulder impingement is another common condition where I have found that the kinesiology taping combined with osteopathy to be very successful in relieving symptoms, especially in the acute phase.

The summer is only just starting and people are more active, whether it be competitive or non-competitive sport, gardening or walking, this tape can keep little niggles at bay and help relieve acute symptoms.

Good luck to all the MdS runners next week and to the London Marathon competitors in a few weeks time and all those in the Brighton Marathon or any other competition in the next few weeks.

As a former professional squash player, Lisa’s interest and knowledge of sport and injury combined with many years of experience enable her to treat a whole range of patients and conditions, including: the young and old, competitive or recreational sportsmen and we highly recommend her services. For more information about Lisa and Osteopath West you can visit www.osteopath-west.co.uk

P.S If you are a Tweeter check out Lisa at @OsteopathWest

If you have any questions about the post please leave a comment below.

With only 8 weeks to go, Martin Cox is attempting to cycle from Lands-end to John O’Groats and back again within 10 days, covering a total distance of 1,800 miles, yep that’s right 180 miles per day! The aim of the challenge is to raise as much money as possible for 7 worthy charities and the target is £180,000 which will be an incredible feat for Martin and his support team at LeJogle.

We are delighted to be able to supply Martin with kinesiology tape making sure his hamstring’s hold up right to the finish line! You can also support Martin in a number of ways: you can pledge a donation via this link or if you’re a keen cyclist Martin is also looking for support riders during all stages of the challenge, you can view the schedule here.

We want to wish Martin all the best in his last few months of training and will bring you regular updates on the challenge and how he gets on!  Fingers crossed this amazing weather continues…

According to Headache UK, more than 10 million Britons regularly suffer head pain and with over the counter drugs only offering a short term solution, could kinesio tape help in the long term? The simple answer is yes.  Head pain can be the result of a number of things including bad posture or tension caused due to reactions to smells, light, food etc.

With the help of kinesio tape, this tension can be relieved.  All you need is a trusty friend to lend a hand and follow these simple steps:

1. Before applying the tape, get your friend to press gently on your neck to find the point of pain/tension
2. Roughly measure the area from the top of the spine towards your ear lobes and cut a piece of tape into a Y shape (always round the edges to prevent fraying)
3. Next step, with the help of your friend, anchor the base with no stretch at the top of your spine. Then tilt your head forward and turn to the right, apply the first strip of the Y up the left hand side of your neck. Then repeat this for the right hand side ensuring on this occasion that your head remains forward but turns to the left.
4. Cut a second strip of tape (roughly 25cm) and with very little tension apply the straight tape strip over the strained part of your neck.
5. Finally, gently rub the tape to activate the adhesion

An even easier option would be to apply a K-Active Neck Pre-Cut which should also do the trick.  If you have any questions or need any further information then please contact us.

Many thanks to Lisa Clarke for sending us a photo of her application, loving the use of different colours!

We are delighted to support young sporting talents of the future and triathlete Sky Draper fits the bill to perfection! As a member of the World Class Performance National Talent Squad, 17 year old Sky became the first athlete in history to become national champion in Triathlon, Duathlon and Aquathlon all in the same season. 

Inspired at a young age by her father, Sky has recently been presented with the prestigious award of 220 Triathlon Magazine's Youth Triathlete of the Year, the second year in succession that Sky has picked up this award. Even more impressive is the fact that she will be eligible for this award for three more years to come!

With dreams of winning an Olympic and World title as well as sporting inspirations and mentors including the great Chrissie Wellington and legendary Paula Radcliffe, there is no doubt that Sky is one to watch in the not so distant future. 

As a fan of kinesiology tape, she wears it in both training and competition to help with any niggles and to enhance performance. We look forward to bringing you regular update on Sky and her achievements as she vows to make these dreams a reality.

*Pink Kinesiology tape as worn by Sky is available in our shop.

We were delighted to see John Bishop cross the finish line for Sport Relief 2012, where he took on one nightmare week as he cycled, rowed and ran over 290 brutal miles, from Paris to London, in just five days. Raising an incredible £1.6 million for the charity, John fought through excruciating pain but admitted he was 'blown away' after being told how much he had risen.

The challenge started last Monday with a solo cycle from Paris to Calais.  Grabbing a quick power hour, John was then joined by a host of celebrity rowers to help complete the channel crossing. Then it was a triple marathon effort over three days to complete the 5 day challenge. Suffering from crippling pains in his Achilles tendon, it was kinesiology tape to the rescue!  Bish’s medical team taped him up which eased the pressure in his legs, allowing him to continue and ultimately complete his incredible challenge.

Joking about the tape, he said: 'The daft thing is, this is professional stuff that all sports people use but they must manufacture it for Smurfs - it's blue.' 

If you suffer from Achilles Tendonitis or want to try out some "John Bishop blue tape" for yourself, then visit our shop for more info!

Some great spots from the weekend! We take a look back at the weekends action and see what stars wear wearing kinesiology tape.

The wrecking ball, Manu Tuilangi was back to his old tricks against Wales whilst the Spurs magician Luca Modric was seen wearing a groin application in his sides shock 5-2 defeat against Arsenal. Finally German tennis ace Julia Goerges wore tape on her forearm against Caroline Wozniacki at the WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship. If you spotted anyone else wearing kinesiology tape please let us know!

Manu Tuilangi - Hamstring Kinesiology Tape

Application: Hamstring. In most sprain/strain injuries, the hamstring muscles are overstretched and even torn. This taping application is trying keep them from being overstretched again so that the muscles can heal. As we already know Manu is a keen wearer of kinesiology tape a can regularly be seen wearing ROCKTAPE at his club Leicester Tigers.

Luca Modric - Groin Kinesiology Tape

Application: Groin. A groin strain or groin pull is an injury to the adductor muscles or the inside upper thigh muscle. Less severe strains pull the muscle beyond their normal excursion. Most commonly, groin pulls are minor muscle fiber tears with the bulk of the muscle tissue remaining intact. Kinesiology tape application is an appropriate use for Grade I and II groin strains. As seen on Gareth Bale, Luca Modric is also sporting a groin application from Kinesio tape.

Julia Goerges - Tennis Elbow Kinesiology Tape

Application: Tennis elbow. Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a very common and very frustrating injury among racquet sport players and others who actively use their forearm muscles.  It is characterized by pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow (lateral epicondyle), that may also radiate down the forearm. This k-active kinesiology taping technique is designed to reduce the inflammation in an acute case of tennis elbow and to help the muscle relax and recover.

To view our full range of kinesiology tapes please click here.

Just had this great email from Kertis Beswick, aged 16 he is a sprint hurdler, who started in 2010 and is currently ranked number 3 in the UK. He's also coached by Lorna Boothe (Double Olympian and Commonwealth Champion). We thought we'd share it with you. A) because we love to hear how our users get on and B) we think Kertis is one to watch for the future!

My First experience with Sporttape was during January a day before the 'South Of England Championships'. 

I had been very mischievous and managed to injure my knee it became painful every time I attempted to bend. A physio came out to see me the same day. As the race day was the following day and there wasn't much treatment he could give to me.

He applied the kinesiology tape that day to my knee and another injury I had, and reassured me that the K-tape should decrease the inflamed area and I should be able to run without a lot of a pain. In the morning there was very little pain and with k-tape still on i was able to walk it off. 

With the help off the tape I was able to finish second, in the championships with a Personal Best, which put me 2nd in the UK Rankings. Thanks!!!

And this weekend I've got the main one, the Indoor Champs. Fingers crossed. 

If you want you can follow me on twitter: @KertiSprint110H and just incase you want to see the tape in action here I am on youtube. Heat at 30 Seconds (lane 6). Semi-Final 2:34 (Lane4) . Final at 2:50 (Lane5).

It’s all change at Sporttape HQ, certainly for the better and we are really excited to welcome new brands SpiderTech, ROCKTAPE and Kinesio to the family!   The kinesiology taping market has evolved significantly in the last two years with many new brands emerging. But rather than retailing every brand that has come to the market we've been determined to uphold the level of quality set by K-Active. 

Leading the way in terms of innovation and product quality has been SpiderTech and ROCKTAPE, whilst the original Kinesio tape has also seen a resurgence. So, after much research, debate and testing we've chosen to add these three brands to Sporttape.  You could say we are now the one stop shop for all your kinesiology tape needs!

With the addition of Kinesio and ROCKTAPE, there are loads of new application videos and instructions which cover almost every injury you may have but if course if it’s not listed drop us a line and we will send you instructions to help.

More good news…with the addition of SpiderTech we are also delighted to be able to offer lower pricing on our pre-cuts and the more you buy the cheaper they get which means you can stock up and save money!

In order to accommodate all of these exciting changes, the website has had a mini makeover and as always we value your opinion so let us know what you think. If there are any features or additions you would like to see on www.sporttape.co.uk we are all ears just send us an email.

Djokovic we salute you! (& Nadal!) A huge congratulations to Novak Djokovic for winning an EPIC match between himself and Nadal to win the Australian Open. 

As you know Djokovic has been a long time fan of SpiderTech (K-Active) kinesiology tape. So when we heard from our Australian partners via twitter that Djokovic's management had been on the phone requesting some new tape we had a feeling it may make an appearance at the Open Final.

Supporting Djokovic's left hamstring the SpiderTech kinesiology tape held firm for five hours 53 minutes to help him win his fifth Grand Slam. In fact it was the longest Grand Slam final in history!

Get 10% OFF!!

To celebrate the amazing win we're offering 10% OFF our Pre-Cut kinesiology tape. Just enter the code: ND10OFF during checkout.

It's been a great start to the year for Sporttape and the practice of kinesiology taping. One reason for this, is the endorsement by elite athletes. It always amazes us to see the traffic that arrives on our website due to an athlete wearing kinesiology tape. Here are just a few of the recent search terms (the phrase people enter into Google when searching) from recent weeks.

Search Term: "Mad blue tape on Dzeko".

Reason: Edin Dzeko of Manchester City was seen wearing blue kinesiology tape. The application technique is questionable but it certainly matched his kit!

Search Term: "What's wrong with Serena's leg at the Ozzy Open?"

Reason: A long term fan of kinesiology tape Serena Williams at the Australian Open wore a lymphatic application during her campaign. Our Lymphatic tape can be worn anywhere to support natural healing and reduce swelling, decrease pain and enhance support while allowing full mobility, and improve recovery after trauma. 

Search Term: "What is the blue tape the Leicester players wear?" 

Reason: As seen above on Ben Youngs it appears that the physios at Leicester Tigers are fans of kinesiology tape. With the demanding fixture list it is no wondering why they are looking for ways to help their players recover quicker. Regularly seen on the Tuilangi brothers and the man mountain Castrogiovanni.

Have you seen any other sports stars wearing kinesiology tape? Do you have any questions about the applications? If yes, just get in touch, we're happy to help. Also if you've spotted a someone we haven't, we will give you a 10% OFF voucher for use on www.sporttape.co.uk

AS SEEN ON - Help us create the ultimate TWEEP list of kinesiology tape users!  

Since 2010, Sporttape has quickly established itself as a leading supplier of kinesiology tape in the UK but undoubtedly the highlight to date was last weekend! 

Via a mixture of luck, skill and good fortune we were given the opportunity to hold a training course for 28 physiotherapists from the GB Olympic & Paralympic teams. 

It was a fantastic weekend and I was personally very proud to know that our athletes will be in the hands of these extremely passionate & skillful people. Hopefully we helped increase their knowledge of kinesiology taping and that in-turn it will help our athletes this Summer!

Once again thank you to everyone who attended! We look forward to helping you in the future. 

Go Team GB!

It’s been a busy start to the year, a great sign of things to come for 2012! This week we are delighted to announce our partnership to become the exclusive kinesiology tape supplier for the England Touch Association. 

Touch is one of the fastest growing sports in England, played by people of all ages and skill levels. Introduced from the Southern Hemisphere in the 70’s, Touch is a fast, evasive, minimal contact sport making it one of the few sports where men and women compete on teams together not only socially but at an international level. There are currently approximately 5,000 people playing touch in organised leagues around the UK. 

In September, the England Touch team will be competing at the European in Italy and will be hoping for a clean sweep across all age groups. We look forward to working closely together to ensure the team are fully supported Sporttape style for the year ahead! 

Also this week, we were thrilled to be able to support charity cyclist Martin Cox who will embark upon a gruelling 10 day 1800 mile cycle from Lands End to John O’Groats in aid of 7 different worthy causes.  Martin will set off on his challenge in May but you can keep up to date with his progress right here.  We wish Martin every success in his training over the next few months and no doubt with the help of Sporttape he will remain in one piece. 

Finally from next week we plan to bring you some great promotional offers on our Pre-Cuts so keep an eye on the site, Facebook and Twitter (@Sporttape) for more info. 

We'd love to hear from you! So if you write a review on our website, we'll give you 15% off your next purchase on www.sporttape.co.uk 

We will soon be announcing some great additions to the current range with more choice and variety, ensuring all your kinesiology tape needs are catered for!  We’ll make sure there are plenty of special offers included as well!

During the past few months, we have had some amazing product reviews and would like to thank all who have taken the time and contributed their thoughts.  We love to get your feedback (good or bad!) so please keep them coming…

Here’s to a fantastic 2012, go Team GB!

We are delighted to now offer FREE standard delivery to all European countries. Finally don’t forget our great affiliate programme which is proving very popular with sports clubs and bloggers – sign up here

Have a great sport filled weekend!

Well we can’t believe it’s Friday again!  The clocks go back this Sunday which means an extra hour in bed, brighter mornings but unfortunately darker evenings. As usual Sporttape HQ has been a hive of activity with lots of exciting projects underway; watch this space for new products hitting the virtual shelves of www.sporttape.co.uk over the coming weeks. 

Well what a deserved win for the All Blacks at this year’s Rugby World Cup. Thanks to all of you who sent in your Sporttape Spots, we were delighted with the number of entries we received and very impressed with your rugby knowledge!  Our winner was Sam Johnson who correctly pointed out Max Evans wearing kinesiology tape in their game against Romania.  What can we say after such a poor WC, we felt that Scotland had to win something!?

Many thanks to David McGettigan who kindly reviewed our kinesiology tape for his sports rehabilitation blog.  The site which provides unbiased opinions, advice and reviews rated Sporttape as excellent which was a bonus and although we know our products are brilliant it’s always nice to get the valued opinions of those working within the medical trade. 

In his blog, David noted the price differential of kinesiology tape and we would like to highlight that many of these cheaper prices don’t actually include VAT or delivery so BEWARE!  And as David says we do offer our price match promise so we will always be the most competitive on the market for K-Active products.

Finally in case you didn’t see our Facebook and Twitter update, our great friends at For Goodness Shakes have kindly provided us with a 20% discount which you can use on their website.  Simply input SPORTTAPE20 at the checkout for a great saving. The code is valid for the rest of the year so you have plenty of time to stock up!

We were delighted when the call came in from www.footy-boots.com to say they were doing an article on kinesiology tape and would like our views on how it can help football players. 

There’s no doubt that KT tape helps with a variety of common football injuries such as hamstring strain, groin pulls and calf niggles and we hope we provided a fairly unbiased input into the final article which you can read for yourself here!

This article comes fresh on the back of a very successful competition which we ran in conjunction with For Goodness Shakes. 

Each day Facebook followers were asked to identify a famous kinesiology tape wearer and we were inundated with responses. Of course the identity was blocked but we were amazed how many of you knew your Sporttape wearers. No doubt we will be running another competition very soon with For Goodness Shakes.

So the RWC continues and the only Home Nation team remaining in the tournament is Wales, here’s hoping for a win against France on Saturday which would see Wales into their first ever World Cup Final.   

Big shout out to Rhys Priestland who is doing a fantastic kicking job and we love your black kinesiology tape!  Don’t forget our competition is still running and a winner will be chosen as soon as the final has taken place.  Send your spots into: info@sporttape.co.uk.

Finally, we are really keen to offer value for money on our products and as a result have added a new promotions page to the site where you will find some great deals and offers on the range. Our current deal of the week is Gentle Kinesiology Tape which you can buy for only £9.99 a roll, that’s a saving of £5.00 a roll! 

But don't worry as this Indian Summer is showing us, its not all doom and gloom! 

The Rugby World Cup is well and truly underway and as the weeks go by, more and more players seem to be taping up.   

The kinesiology tape team of the tournament so far has to go to Italy with the majority of the team decked out in tape for this week’s game against the USA! Current captain, number eight Sergio Parisse donned blue tape to help his hamstrings, whilst kicking maestro Bergamasco also chose blue to match his jersey.   

We’re loving all the World Cup spots you're sending, so please keep them coming, we have a feeling it’s going to get easier to spot taped players as the weeks tick by. As you know, one lucky winner will be chosen and will get to pick a product of their choice.

This week we have also been included in a great feature on Runners Life. Where we were able to help one of their athletes achieve a seasons best at the Bristol Half Marathon! The review also explains the history and concept of kinesiology taping to readers. 

Finally, we are very excited about our new link up with For Goodness Shakes. Everyday this week we are running a "Guess Who?" competition, so get involved! With your "inside" knowledge it should be easy.

We will also be working with them on some more exciting new ventures over the next few weeks so watch this space…

The 7^th Rugby World Cup 2011 has just been officially declared open. The GAME IS ON! With 20 teams from around the globe competing for the coveted Webb Ellis Trophy, there is no doubt that the next 7 weeks will be filled with exciting games and gruelling battles with every team dreaming of becoming Champions.

Rugby is one of the biggest fans of kinesiology tape with players such as NZ’s Rokocoko and England’s Tualagi wearing it on a regular basis.  This week Argentina’s golden boy Contepomi even had his quad’s taped in training! 

Spotted Competition

So in celebration of the Rugby World Cup 2011, we are launching a SPOTTED competition.  It’s simple…every time you see a player wearing kinesiology tape, just send us an email with the details: info@sporttape.co.uk or add it to our Facebook page and one lucky winner will be chosen at the end of the WC.  The winner will get to pick one product of their choice either a K-Active Pre-Cut or a  of roll of kinesiology tape!

It could not be easier so what are you waiting for…

We love it when we find creative new sports dedicated blogs so when we came across sc1sports.com, we were even more intrigued as they had a special feature on kinesiology tape.   

The site which is the brainchild of sports fanatics Conan and Stephen aims to bring readers the latest on their views covering topics including sports injuries (hence the post on kinesiology tape!), psychology, performance and training methods.  With podcasts, videos and posts, the blog features a number of different sports, why not check it out for yourself…

Well it’s been a very busy month for us here at Sporttape.  Whilst most people enjoyed a well-earned summer holiday, we have been beavering away on a number of exciting projects including a website make over, launching our first kinesiology tape training course and getting ready for the new Sports season ahead.   

And to top it all off Sporttape is celebrating its first birthday!

After a fantastic first year, we decided that the website needed a treat so we have taken all of your feedback on board to make the site more informative and even easier to use.  We now offer bulk buy discounts so for every 6 kinesiology tape pre-cuts you buy, you get one FREE which means you only pay for 5. Bargain eh!

We are also delighted to announce details of our first K-Active certified Kinesiology Tape Training course which will take place on the 22^nd & 23^rd of October, 2011 in London. Places are limited to 20 and are going fast so make sure you book yours for what’s guaranteed to be an enjoyable two days learning all about amazing benefits of using kinesiology tape. For more information, click here.

Finally it’s that time of year when the new sports season’s kick off.  Gareth Bale is back in action and still sporting kinesiology tape, the Rugby World Cup is due to tap off in a couple of weeks, no doubt kinesiology tape will be on hand to keep the players together. The IAAF World Champs start this weekend, can a pink kinesiology tape clad Lisa Dobriskey make it onto the podium?!  We certainly hope so.  Kinesiology tape is also helping out the likes of injury stricken Novak Djokovic and Rory Mc Ilroy.

So if you have a recurring injury or want to boost your athletic performance, look no further than the Sporttape shop.  We have a host of great products guaranteed to help you and are always on hand to offer advice, just drop us a line at: info@sporttape.co.uk.  We would love to hear from you…

Professional triathlete, Jordan Rapp, was on top of the world in 2009, after winning Ironman championships in both Canada and the US. But a horrific head on collision with a car while biking resulted in life threatening and career ending injuries.  Not only did Rapp survive, incredibly he is back on the podium once more. He gives much of the credit for his return to championship form to K-Active by SpiderTech kinesiology tape.

K-Active by SpiderTech is the world leader in precut kinesiology tape applications for a wide variety of body parts. With step-by-step instructions included with every application, anyone can learn to tape themselves for relief of pain and inflammation or to support fatigued or injured muscles.

Because the tape is thin and stretchy designed to mimic the skin, it is an ideal sports tape for injured athletes, allowing them to continue competing with full range of motion as they recover from strains and sprains.

Jordan credits K-Active by SpiderTech with allowing him to return to both training and competition, “not at 90%, but at 100%.”

K-Active by SpiderTech Kinesiology Tape is available to purchase here.

Congratulations to SpiderTech's tennis superstar Li Na who has become the first ever Chinese or Asian player to win a Grand Slam Title at this weekend’s French Open. She has become an overnight sensation and role model with more than 5 million people talking about Li on Sina Weibo, one of China’s leading micro- blog websites.

Na, who started the tournament seeded 6th, took on the defending French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, who was enjoying a 13-match winning streak at Roland Garros. Winning in straight sets, the victory has elevated Na to world No 4, equaling the Asian record set by Japan’s Kimiko Date-Krumm. In January, Na also made history when she became the first Chinese woman to reach the final of the Australian Open.

The soft clay courts the French Open is known for puts additional strain on the players bodies than a traditional hard surface, the 2011 tournament has seen several players withdraw from competition due to injury from both the woman’s and men’s draws. "SpiderTech kinesiology therapy tape products provide me the comfort and support that I need to perform my best on the court. SpiderTech’s superior materials and adhesives give a better feel, last longer and retain the physical integrity that I need to keep playing harder, longer," said Na who has been wearing a knee spider for the entire tournament on the clay courts.

 "To see the global success Li Na has achieved in 2011 is very motivating for the team at SpiderTech," said Bill Payne, VP Marketing SpiderTech. "We appreciate Li’s commitment to our brand as we continue to build SpiderTech globally, professional athletes like Li Na play an important role in our growth. Li Na represents our vision to bridge Eastern and Western healing and preventive philosophies."

To get your very own Li Na Upper Knee Pre-Cut please click here or to view the full range of K-Active Pre-Cuts by Spidertech you can visit our shop.

As more and more people begin to embrace kinesiology tape, many people still ask how it differs from traditional athletic tape and whether one is better than the other.  It’s quite simple really, as they’re very different indeed, yet both play important roles in aiding sports injuries.

Appearance

We can start by looking at their appearance and the difference is immediately obvious.  Traditional Athletic tape tends to be in a roll format, usually only available in white. On the other hand kinesiology tape comes in a variety of colours in both rolls and pre-cuts (which can easily be applied to different parts of the body).

Whilst athletic tape is thick, rigid and non-elastic, kinesiology tape is thin and stretchy designed to mimic the skin.  This allows the body to easily release moisture yet dries quickly even after a heavy sweat induced workout, swimming session or shower.

The adhesion on traditional athletic tape is extremely strong which in once way is a benefit but also means it can irritate the skin so often a pre-wrap will be applied beneath the tape to minimise this.  A hypoallergenic adhesive is used in the case of kinesiology tape which means it can be applied to even the most sensitive of skins and will remain there for up to 5 days.

Application

Upon application athletic tape is wrapped tightly around the affected joint or muscle with the aim of immobilising the area. This obviously restricts movement through compression which can reduce blood circulation so is only recommended for a short period of time.  It is removed immediately after the activity so as not too increase prolonged injury. Kinesiology tape more or less does exactly the opposite…

Applied directly to the injury area (as opposed to wrapped tightly around), kinesiology tape allows freedom of motion without restricting muscles or blood flow. By allowing the muscles a larger degree of movement, the body is able to heal itself more quickly and fully than before.

So as you can see, each tape works in its own way but if you want to continue training whilst letting your injury recover or just want to enhance your performance, then kinesiology tape may be just what you need.

For more information and to view the full range of Sporttape kinesiology products please click here.

So you may think that kinesiology tape is a fairly new addition to the sports medical environment but it has been around for more than 35 years.  Created by Dr. Kenzo Kase a Japanese chiropractor in the 1970’s, Dr. Kase had been searching for a sports taping method to help heal muscle and tissue damage and realised that none of the standard tapes available at the time worked in the way he wanted. Whilst they provided muscle and joint support, they didn’t allow for any range of motion to the joint which in turn impeded the healing process.

Crucial to the development of Dr.Kase’s kinesiology taping technique was the close relationship between the skin and muscles within the body.  In 1973, he teamed up with well-known Japanese company Nitto Denko to develop Kinesio® Tape, and the Kinesio Taping® method. The main difference that Kinesio® Tape offered was the ability to help the lymphatic and muscle systems heal and regenerate, whilst offering support to the affected muscle and joint.

Kinesio® Tape was viewed as a major breakthrough in aiding injury recovery time and enhancing performance. However, in late December 2010, the Kinesio® organisation stopped using the original manufacturer Nitto Denko and moved to a new supplier outside of Japan.

Soon after K-Active took over the exclusive rights to distribute Nitto Denko’s kinesiology tape in Europe.

Kinesio® Tape vs Kinesiology Tape

Many people now refer to knesiology tape simply as "kinesio tape" for two reasons, firstly they were the inventors of the product and secondly because we love to shorten names of products.  However as noted above Kinesio® Tape is actually a brand name rather than a product name. Much like calling a vacuum cleaner a hoover.

More importantly, is there a difference between the products? The answer is yes. In conjunction with Nitto Denko, K-Active has chosen to enhance traditional kinesiology tape and increase the product range. Offering a revised formula, pre-cut designs and a gentle hypoalergenic tape.

The result has been a tremendous success and we are extremely proud to be the official partners for K-Active in the UK and Ireland.

To view the full range of K-Active kinesiology tape products, please click here.

So Runners World has done a great article on the 7 most common running injuries and we thought that over the coming weeks we would have a look at each of these and whether kinesiology tape can help.  We know from your feedback that runner’s knee is a very common injury but what exactly is it?

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), or "runner's knee," is the irritation of the cartilage on the underside of the patella (kneecap). About 40% of running injuries are knee injuries.  It can result in pain and inflammation as the cartilage becomes like sandpaper because the kneecap is not riding smoothly over the knee. The result if this is swelling of the knee and feeling pain in the knee area which may be most severe after hill running.

What’s the cause?

Overprontaion can cause the kneecap to twist sideways so wearing the correct running shoes is vital.  Overtraining can also result in runner’s knee.  Although you can run through it, you should take extra rest days and as soon as you feel pain you STOP.  Here is where kinesiology tape may help; it can support the muscles in the knee and stabilise the area. Our full knee or upper knee Pre-Cut kinesiology tapes are easy to apply and can stay on the skin for up to 5 days. The Pre-Cuts should enhance the natural healing process helping you to recover quicker.

Alternative exercise methods such as swimming, pool running and cycling (in a low gear) can help give this injury a rest.  But of course as always if the symptoms persist after two weeks, you should consult your doctor or physiotherapist.

So on form Gareth Bale got the football world talking about the strange coloured tape on his legs but what about his teammates?!   When Gareth started wearing kinesiology tape, he was one of the few but it now seems that he has spurred (apologies for the pun!) on his fellow Tottenham players.  In last week’s clash against AC Milan, Steven Pienaar had his quad taped whilst Wilson Palacios used a combination of blue and black kinesiology tape to support his knee.  We have also seen goalie Gomes sport kinesiology tape in the past.

You may ask why is kinesiology tape so popular for footballers? Well it may be because of its simplicity; it has a multitude of uses including; pain relief, swelling and inflammation reduction, providing structural support to joints and muscles and can even enhance athletic performance.  You don’t have to be a physio to apply our effective range of K-Active kinesiology tape Pre-Cuts, they are simple and easy to apply.

Click here to buy a Pre-Cut which can help with knee strain, groin pulls, hamstring injuries or a whole variety of other injuries.

Together with our Canadian kinesiology tape partner – SpiderTech, we are very excited to announce the signing of Chinese tennis champion Li Na to the Health and Wellness Team. Na made history when she advanced to the finals of the Australian Open, the first woman in Chinese history to progress this far. In her journey to tennis' top tier, Na joins the likes of Houston Rockets center Yao Ming and Olympic hurdler Liu Xiang in global athletic acclaim for China.

"We are thrilled about the opportunity to partner with Li Na," stated SpiderTech Founder, Ray Arbesman. "Her commitment to our brand further cements SpiderTech as the leader in kinesiology tapes. We believe she wholly represents our vision to bridge Eastern and Western healing and preventive philosophies."

Na's alignment with the SpiderTech brand is ideally timed. The company aims to release a consumer version of its medical kinesiology tape later this year. This product introduction is aimed at providing consumer and recreational athletes with the natural pain release tape application professionals already use.

The SpiderTech products are sold in Europe under the brand K-Active, all of which are available exclusively through Sporttape.  To purchase your very own K-Active kinesiology tape Pre-Cut by SpiderTech click here.

Kinesiology tape is becoming a sporting phenomenon. Why? Because it works! It is a safe, inexpensive, non-invasive product which relieves pain, reduces inflammation and enhances performance. No wonder both professional and amateur athletes around the world are now using it and loving it.

Lance Armstrong was one of the first world class athletes to promote the virtues of kinesiology taping as an athletic tape for sports injuries. He even spoke about it in 2003 book “Every Second Counts” where he gave a special mention to his chiropractor Jeff Spencer.

According to Armstrong, Jeff had something special in his medical bag – The Tape! In an excerpt from the book: “It was a special hot-pink athletic tape that came from Japan and seemed to have special powers. George got a problem with his lower back. Jeff turned him around and started putting hot-pink tape on it. George thought, “How can that help?” But the next day the pain had disappeared – it was gone.  We swore by Jeff’s pink kinesiology tape. He would tape the hell out of anything. You had a tweaky knee? He taped it. A guy would start to get tendinitis and he’d say, “Don’t worry. No problem. We’ll tape it.” We all had pink tape on our legs.”

As another weekend of Heineken Cup rugby action comes to a close, we now know which 8 teams will go on to the knock out stages.   Leading the charge are 4 French teams, who will all meet each other in the semis whilst teams from Ireland and England battle it out in the other two quarter final ties.

You may have noticed many of the players wearing kinesiology tape and rugby is one of the early adopters of the product.  But it’s not just for the professionals; kinesiology tape can be great for rugby players of all levels.

And that’s why we have developed a special page devoted to rugby under our newest section: Your Sport.  Here you will find out what the most common rugby injuries are and the best kinesiology tape products to use to help get you back to full strength.

If you need any further information or advice well don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, simply email us at info@sporttape.co.uk or leave a comment below!

So the first major tennis tournament of 2011 has just got underway and apart from the colourful outfits, there seems to be loads of kinesiology tape on display at the Australian Open!  Sporttape has already spotted three female players today wearing kinesiology tape so it’s clear they’re feeling the benefits. Tennis is a fantastic sport but as with every sport, there tend to be recurring injuries which plague players.  We are always keen to improve the website and add more information so we have developed a Your Sport section which highlights the most common injuries and the best type of kinesiology tape you should use to help relieve them.  For all you tennis enthusiasts, click here to find out more about your sport!

With another 10 days of the Australian Open to enjoy, current bookies favourite is the unflappable Federer but come on Murray, you can go one better than last year!

If you’re dusting off the tennis racket and hitting the court, remember if you have any injuries kinesiology tape may help you out. Continue Reading ›

We were delighted to see Fighting Fit magazine review some of our products in their latest edition.  They tried and tested our K-Active kinesiology tape Pre-Cuts and were really pleased with how they performed.   The review which can be found on p24 of the magazine highlights the fact that every sportsperson will eventually end up with niggling injuries and one way to help is kinesiology tape from www.sporttape.co.uk. 

Now we know the products are great but if you don’t believe us, in the words of Fighting Fit, “So if you just have to keep training and rest isn’t an option, you can at least support the problem area effectively with a K-Active Pre-Cut from www.sporttape.co.uk”.

For more information and to purchase a K-Active Pre-Cut, please CLICK HERE

It’s that time of year again when we all look forward to packing our thermals and hitting the slopes for a bit of winter fun.  Although with the Blighty weather we have encountered of late, you don’t need to go anywhere!

Skiing and snowboarding are incredibly exhilarating but one of the downsides which we all suffer is wear and tear on muscles and body parts which may have lay dormant for quite a while…  The most common injuries when skiing/boarding are ligament strains to areas all over the body particularly the knees and wrists (for boarders).

Kinesiology Tape is an excellent way to relieve any ligament damage that may occur when skiing.  Once the kinesiology tape is applied to the injured area it naturally allows freedom of motion without restricting muscles or blood flow. By allowing the muscles a larger degree of movement, the body is able to heal itself more quickly and fully than before. At Sporttape, we offer a range of 12 different K-Active Pre-Cuts for specific areas of the body including the knee and wrist. So we hope you have a fantastic ski holiday and even if you do incur some ligament strains, with a K-Active Pre-Cut in your case you should still be able to enjoy yourself.

Here at Sporttape we are a caring bunch, so have pulled together some handy guidelines to bear in mind when you take to the mountain:

• Don't ski or board when you're tired. Many injuries occur on “the last run of the day”. The mountain will still be there tomorrow, next month, or next year.
• Beware of other skiers/boarders. It can often be the out of control skier beside you that can cause the most damage.
• As much as we love a tipple on the slopes, you should think twice about drinking alcohol when you ski. Your reflexes will be slower, and your muscles will fatigue more easily making you more liable to injure yourself.
• Keep an eye on the terrain. Look out for grass, rocks, ice, or different density snow and don’t forget the edges.
• Know your limitations and get lessons if you need them.  Don’t be pressured by friends to take on terrain outside of your capabilities.

Most important of all, make sure you pack a Sporttape Pre-Cut for any niggling body part or a roll of our tape to keep injuries at bay!]]>

We were delighted that Health & Fitness Magazine chose to feature Sporttape’s K-Active Pre-Cut products in this month’s edition of the magazine. Why not check it out for yourself on p108 under the new kit section where they promote the great features of kinesiology tape.

Kinesiology tape provides relief for muscle soreness and sports injuries by supporting the affected muscles without restricting the area or blood flow.  This means the body is able to heal faster than before.

You can purchase your own Sporttape K-Active Pre-Cut kinesiology tape by clicking here.

As the Bale effect continues, we were delighted to hear BBC 5 Live Breakfast talk about kinesiology tape on their show on Sunday morning.  They explained to listeners what exactly kinesiology tape is and what the benefits are as well asking whether it hurts when it’s removed?! As long as you remove the tape in one sharp movement in the direction of hair growth you should be fine!

Last weekend Gareth Bale not only scored a cracking goal but also branched out to a new colour tape – Pink in Spurs amazing comeback win over Arsenal!  And we are delighted to say that if you want to get your hands on some pink tape, then look no further.  Simply click here.

Where were you when England won the final test of the 2009 Ashes series to take the much coveted urn? Were you one of the lucky fans inside the ground at the Brit Oval as the Champagne corks popped and the crowd went wild?

The eagerly awaited Ashes series is just around the corner and kicks off next week in Brisbane.  Running until January, the series tours some of the most spectacular cities in Australia.  England have been impressive in their three warm up games and the show is about to begin. After weeks of hype and plenty of opinion, one thing seems certain. It's going to be close, very close.

According to England legend Sir Ian Botham believes Andrew Strauss's team "should win the Ashes at a canter". With less than a week until the start of the Ashes, punters are showing more and more faith in England to retain the urn.  The key thing for the team will be to remain injury free…

The Top 5 cricket injuries have been identified as:

1. Hamstring Strain
2. Low Back Pain
3. Side Strain
4. Shoulder Pain
5. Ankle Sprain

Indeed, kinesiology tape can help with all of these injuries either to help the injury recover or to simply prevent a possible injury. There are a range of easy, simple to use and extremely effective Advanced Pre-Cuts which can help with all of these injuries.  Whether you want to help an on-going injury such as shoulder pain or simply want to pre-empt any injury woes then an Advanced Pre-Cut by K-Active may be just the thing for you.

Fingers crossed that the England team will not suffer any injury blows but if they do kinesiology tape may be the perfect solution to help. We wish the team the best of luck in their 2 month campaign and look forward to seeing the urn return to its rightful place, on British soil!

To access the full range of Sporttape Advanced Kinesiology Tape Pre-Cuts, simply click here

So tennis stars Leyton Hewitt and Serena Williams are major fans of using kinesiology tape on their knees.  But we mere mortals suffer a similar fate with knee injuries being listed as one of the most common sports injury complaints regardless of your hobby. The knee is made flexible by supporting tendons which can easily become inflamed and injured once overused.  Further to this, you may suffer intense pain and damage to the kneecap which can easily be caused by falls, jolts or repetitive motions affected by any number of sports such as cycling, netball, football, the list goes on...

But never fear, if you suffer from knee pain then kinesiology tape could be the remedy you need.

Taping your Knee with Kinesiology Tape

Unlike standard athletic tapes which aim to keep the joint solidly in place allowing no movement, kinesiology tape works in partnership with the knee allowing flexibility and natural bend which will speed up the healing process or simply enhance performance. The premise is that leaving the area open and mobile improves circulation and helps the body heal itself more quickly and thoroughly than keeping the muscles or tendons still and hampering blood and lymph flow.

How to apply Kinesiology Tape to the Knee

With a K-Active Advanced Full Knee or Upper Knee Pre-Cut it could not be easier! The instructions are simple, easy to follow and you should be able to self apply.  We even have a handy video application available which you can watch and follow by clicking here.

Kinesiology Tape Knee Benefits

In addition to helping the muscles and supporting tendons heal after injury, kinesiology tape can also be applied to the knee and other muscles to help increase blood flow and ease overworked or strained muscles. Many athletes use kinesiology tape on their knees and other parts of the body as a preventative measure against injury, while others believe it helps their muscles to relax properly after training. Whatever the reason, kinesiology tape can work for you.

To purchase a K-Active Advanced Upper Knee or Full Knee Pre-Cut please click here.

As we’re well and truly into the sporting season, whether it’s football, rugby, cross country or any other sport, hamstrings are definitely one of the key injuries which seem to dramatically increase during the season.

The knee flexion and hip extension movements involved in the majority of sporting activities can put a lot of strain on the hamstrings. And as we all know, a hamstring injury can plague you for months causing a great deal of pain but even more so affecting your ability to train and compete if not treated correctly.

But with the help of a K-Active Hamstring Pre-Cut, a thin skin-like stretchy kinesiology tape, muscular pain, spasms and inflammation of the hamstrings can be effectively treated. In addition once applied, the Pre-Cut can provide protection and support without limiting a safe range of motion. Which means you can continue to train and compete whilst recovering! Once applied, the Pre-Cut is water resistant and can be worn for up to 5 days, providing around the clock therapeutic benefits the entire time they’re worn.

It’s no surprise that the K-Active Hamstring Pre-Cut is one of our most popular products so if you’re suffering from hamstring pain why not give one a go by clicking here. Continue Reading ›

What a great week! Not only did Gareth Bale bring kinesiology tape into the media spotlight again, resulting in an up-rise in Black Kinesio Tape sales but Men's Fitness Magazine reviewed our K-Active Kinesiology tape in their Winter Running Gear Guide.

K-Active Kinesiology roll - £13.99

So there is no denying that Gareth Bale’s form of late has been nothing short of brilliant for Spurs. His display last night against the European Cup Holders not only resulted in a magnanimous win at White Hart Lane but will forever be cemented in the club’s history. The Wales winger followed up his hat-trick in the 4-3 defeat at San Siro two weeks previously with a sensational individual performance, in which he set up second-half goals for Peter Crouch and the substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko.

Now at Sporttape we have a theory that the black tape worn by Bale on his leg’s may well have something to do with his spectacular form! The well talked about black tape is in fact kinesio tape and as dedicated followers of this magic tape (as it is also known!), we know all about the great benefits it offers.

In case you were wondering, Kinesio Tape is now officially endorsed by Gareth Bale. To find out more about the brand Kinesio click here. 

So why does Gareth Bale wear kinesio tape?

Gareth has the abductors on both of his legs taped which are a very common soccer injury and with the application method used, the kinesiology tape appears to be supporting the muscles in this area. Unlike regular athletic taping, using kinesio tape allows freedom of motion without restricting muscles or blood flow. 

By allowing the muscles a larger degree of movement, the body is able to heal itself more quickly and fully than before or it can simply enhance performance.

The benefits:

Due to its simplicity kinesiology tape has a multitude of uses including; pain relief, reduce swelling and inflammation, provide structural support to joints and muscles, and enhance athletic performance

How to apply:

On our website we sell a range of very easy to use Pre-Cuts and if you like Gareth suffer with groin and abductor problems, we have a specific Pre-Cut which will help. It is simple to apply, so why not click here to see for yourself! Alternatively our rolls of Kinesiology tape that have proved to be very popular with footballers and can be cut to suit a la Gareth Bale are available here.

As the NFL returns to London this weekend, who will be victorious as the San Francisco 49ers take on the Denver Broncos at Wembley Stadium this Sunday?  After the huge success of previous games including the Dolphins, the Giants, the Chargers and the Saints, the demand for another game couldn't be higher and the NFL are excited by the prospect of bringing another competitive game to our shores.  But that’s not all they will be bringing…along with some amazing flare, awesome speed and true talent, we know what big fans the NFL is of kinesiology tape so no doubt they will be sporting kinesiology tape on various body parts!

In such a highly physical game as American Football, the use of kinesiology tape has a wide range of benefits. Traditionally in sport, white athletic tapes are wrapped around gauze to form a stiff bandage that immobilises a joint or muscle. By comparison, the 100-percent cotton kinesiology tape is modelled on the thickness and elasticity of real skin. The flexible tape is applied to the skin in specific patterns, depending on the injury, a technique designed to create support and guide injured muscles and joints without limiting an athlete’s range of motion.

In addition, kinesiology tape can support injured muscles and joints; it helps relieve pain by lifting the skin, allowing blood to flow more freely to the injured area.

New York Jets Quarterback Mark Sanchez is a particular fan of the K-Active Advanced Pre-Cuts by SpiderTech and you can purchase these or simply find out more information for yourself on http://www.sporttape.co.uk/.

Best of luck to both teams this weekend and if your one of the 60,000 lucky ticket holders, we hope you have a great night!]]>

Following on from the launch of our website, Sporttape.co.uk has now joined the social media networking arena with the creation of our very own Facebook and Twitter pages.

We hope that these will enable kinesiology tape fans to find out more about our great products, take part in some wonderful competitions, see our special offers and avail of our regular discount codes which will be issued to all followers!

In addition, we hope that our pages will provide a hub for fans to share experiences and tales of using kinesiology tape.

We will also be on hand to provide information and advice on the great benefits that can be gained through our Sporttape products. So watch this space over the coming months for new content, videos and amazing product offers…

If you have any suggestions to help us improve our pages then please let us know and if you want to tell all of your friends about us, we really won’t mind!

To access our Facebook page please click here or for  Twitter click here.

Look forward to seeing you all there! Continue Reading ›

Well the Commonwealth games are due to start next week but with so much negative press about poor conditions in the athlete’s village, will this eagerly anticipated sporting event be a success?

At Sporttape, we certainly hope so and are keen to see which sport in the games will get the most benefit from Kinesiology Tape.  We know that Kinesiology Tape is widely used in the sporting arena with athletics and cycling keen advocates but kinesiology tape can benefit all athletes no matter what the sport.

Did you know that the Commonwealth Games is made up of 31 sports?! There are currently 54 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and 71 teams participate in the Games.  So which sport do you think will most use kinesiology tape?  We think it will be a close call between athletics and the rugby 7’s but most importantly we want to wish all of Home Nation athletes the best of luck!

To celebrate the games, we are offering you the chance to win an Advanced Pre-Cut of your choice for the best kinesiology tape spot.  Simply send us an email to info@sporttape.co.uk with your details and who you have spotted wearing kinesiology.  We will announce the winner once the finishing ceremony has taken place! Best of luck…

For more information on Kinesiology Tape and it’s benefits, please click here.

WINNER ANNOUNCED - Congratulations to Tim Sheppard whose spot of Tom Daley wearing Kinesiology Tape has earned him an Advanced K-Active Pre-Cut! So we may have been biased choosing a Home Nations athlete but with two gold medals around his neck, we have to agree with Tim! Unfortunatley we can only have one winner on this occasion but many thanks to all of you who entered, we were surprised how many kinesiology tape spotters there are out there!!! Watch this space for more competitions in the very near future...

Our partners in the US - SpiderTech™ today Introduced “X” Shape Kinesiology Tape Application, providing relief for muscle soreness and sports injuries.

The X pattern is a shape most commonly cut from kinesiology tape rolls by chiropractors, therapists, sports medicine practitioners and other healthcare providers, but doesn’t require the same degree of training and precision. With the X Spider, anyone can easily peel off the back of the pre-cut shape and apply it where there’s soreness or pain in the same way as ice or a bandage, but with greater therapeutic benefits.“The X Spider make this long-established therapy more accessible to both practitioners and individual patients,” said SpiderTech’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kevin Jardine, DC, Med.Ac, CSCS, ART, CSTI. “We’ve simplified the use and application of kinesiology tape to make it more readily accessible.”

Kinesiology tape—based on the principles of kinesiology, the science of human movement—has been widely used for 30 years in both professional sports and professional medicine. SpiderTech has reinvented the use of kinesiology tape with X and other innovative Pre-Cut Spiders. Dr. Jardine created the various shapes so that they don’t have to be individually cut.

SpiderTech’s therapeutic solution uses tape to naturally stimulate the nervous system through skin contact in order to restore strength and mobility to injured and sore muscles. Unlike a bandage, it encourages faster recovery, relieves pain and reduces swelling. The product also prevents future injury through enhancing necessary natural healing mechanisms. The tape is manufactured to be the same weight, thickness, and elasticity as skin and is therefore able to integrate with the body’s sensory system naturally.

SpiderTech’s X Spider kinesiology tape can provide pain relief and improved mobility to everyone from competitive runners, cyclists, golfers, tennis players and triathletes, to anyone with lower back, knee, neck and other common pains.

“The X Spider is a first step on the way to healing,” said Dr. Jardine. “If an individual using the X Spider finds they are experiencing, for example, a 50 percent recovery rate, that other 50 percent can be achieved by seeing a licensed SpiderTech healthcare provider trained to use our advanced therapy solutions.”

Watch this space to see when the X Spider will be available via Sporttape in the UK…

Kinesiology Tape takes the USA by storm.  

The incredible ease of application and effectiveness of K-active Pre-Cut Kinesiology Tape has seen it become a vital piece of kit for many athletes in the USA. Often a step ahead, the US market has embraced K-Active Kinesiology Tape using it to enhance performance and aid recovery. And the trend looks set to continue in the UK!

The "Night Train" Bobsled Team, New York Jets Quarterback Mark Sanchez, and The Most Winning Team in Pro Cycling are all fans of K-active Pre-Cut Kinesiology Tape.

When Amber Neben, one of North America's top women riders and a veteran of international competitive bicycle racing, suffered multiple strains in her leg muscles during the Tour of Flanders, she had to spend numerous weeks away from competition in order to rehabilitate.

The good news? Her recovery rate was faster than expected, a fact she ascribes in part to her use of Kinesiology Tape provided by SpiderTech (K-Active). Remarkably, she was back in form at the PAN AM Mexico, where she took second during the time trials.

Neben is one of a large number of professional and Olympic athletes who are recognising the benefits that SpiderTech's precut Kinesiology Tape brings to the playing field. Athletes from football to cycling to Olympic bobsledding and every sport in between are realising that Kinesiology Tape is an important tool in their training and competing tool kits.

While highly utilised by top professionals, Kinesiology Tape can benefit athletes at nearly every level; aches, pains and injuries from training and racing impact amateurs and elites alike.

To view our full range of K-Active Kinesiology Tape please click on this link.

Or to find out about our range of Pre-Cut Kinesio Tape please click here.

Sporttape is proud to announce that our range of  K-Active kinesiology tapes will be used to support competitors in this year’s grueling Transalpine Run, which will take place between 4^th of September and 11^th of September spanning three countries. A total of 250 teams of two from 27 nations have registered for the 305km race through the Alps.

After the huge success of last year, K-Active is thrilled that the organisers of the GoreTex Transalpine-Run 2010 have chosen to use K-Actve kinesiology tape to support the athletes taking part.  There is no doubt that competitors will benefit from the support of our K-Active kinesiology tapes which can improve circulation, reduce pain & muscle tension and enhance performance.

We want to wish all participants the best of luck as they take part in a truly unique experience! We will keep you up to date on how the race is going once it gets underway…

To view our range of K-Active kinesiology tapes please visit our Shop.

So the US Open starts on Monday, will this be Murray’s big chance to win his first Major? Well with the great form he has been showing of late, we certainly hope so! The other big question is how many tennis stars will be wearing Kinesio Tape?   We know that Murray’s a fan so let us know if you spot any other top players wearing kinesio tape.

This week, we have had tons of enquires about training courses for how best to apply our K-Active kinesio tape.  Together with our K-Active partners in Germany, we are currently developing a range of kinesio tape courses for the UK, watch this space and the website for more information in the near future… 

To learn more about the use of kinesio tape in tennis please click here.

Wow, what a great first week. We could not have anticipated such demand! We have supplied our K-Active Tape to several Premiership Rugby sides. Sent K-Active Pre-Cut tape to various international athletes and World Record holders.  

In addition to the above we have received some lovely Tweets from our Tweeps! Especially from Kim Ingleby (@kimingleby). International Personal Trainer of the Year, Master NLP Coach & Hypnotherapist, GB Team Sports Therapist & Triathlete. Now that's impressive.

If you want to get all the latest news from Sporttape please follow us on Twitter and we will return the favor. To visit our Twitter page please just click on this link.

If you are more of a Facebook person then please visit our Facebook Page. Over the next few weeks we will be launching some fantastic offers, interviews and training tips.

Finally, we wish the England Women's Rugby side a huge slice of good luck in the World Cup! Hopefully, they will continue their dominance and win the title on home soil. If our K-Active Tape can help them we'll be ecstatic!

One last thing, we just wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU for all your support so far. If you have any questions about our range of K-Active Tape then please get in touch. Continue Reading ›