Taping, Wrapping & Padding
The use of taping, wrapping & padding is fundamental to the practice of sports medicine as well as to many other areas in which health care practitioners operate.
Traditional athletic tapes can be classified as falling into one of three categories – non-elastic, elastic and cast. Both elastic and non elastic tapes are equipped with adhesive backings that are intended to adhere directly to the skin or to other materials. Tapes will generally be used to provide support and reduce the range of motion of the injured joint. They can also be used to secure wraps, pads or dressings. The athletic tapes on this website do not generally include cast tapes.
Unlike traditional athletic tapes, kinesiology tapes are designed to allow a full and normal range of motion of joints and tissues. They actually depend for their effectiveness on the patient being able to perform his or her regular everyday activities.
Next in the taping, wrapping & padding section, wraps can be divided into three categories – elastic, self adherent and cloth. They can be used to provide compression and support, to reduce range of motion or to secure pads or dressings. Woven elastic wraps (a.k.a. tensor bandages) provide adjustable compression and also adapt to specific body contours by providing multi-directional compression.
Pads protect athletes from injury, or from additional injury, during training or competition. They can be classified as being made from either soft, low density materials or from hard, high density materials.
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Adhesive Tapes19 Products
Adhesive tapes fall into two primary categories - elastic and non elastic. Non elastic adhesive tapes usually come in cotton and/or polyester and have a zinc oxide adhesive mass backing. Due to their lack of elastic properties, they are less suited than elastic tapes on highly contoured parts of the body such as elbows and shoulders. The most common color is white and the tape is usually available in widths of 0.5 , 1, 1.5 , 2 and 3 inches and in lengths of 10 to 15 yards. Elastic adhesive tapes (known as stretch tapes) come in 1,2,3 and 4 inch widths by 5 yard lengths. They are usually manufactured from twisted cotton with an adhesive backing. These tapes have the advantage of being able to conform to highly contoured areas of the body while providing the same support as their non elastic counterparts. The number of longitudinal and vertical fibres per inch in the backing of an adhesive tape is an important factor in the assessment of its overall quality. Speaking generally, a high quality tape will have 85 or more longitudinal fibres and 65 or more vertical fibres per inch. A high quality tape will also possess a greater amount of adhesive backing and an even and fluid tension during removal from the roll. -
Cohesive Tapes & Bandages7 Products
Cohesive Tapes & Bandages (also called self adhesive) are designed to adhere only to each other. Specifically (and in contrast to adhesive tapes and bandages), they do not adhere to skin, hair or other parts of the body. As a result, you can wrap a self adhesive bandage or tape around a limb for support without having to worry about experiencing pain and/or hair loss when you remove it. Cohesive bandages have three key variables in their construction - the base material, an elastic yarn and a cohesive technology. The base material used can be fabric or non woven. The elastic yarn can be either linear or knitted. The quality of elastic yarn will affect the consistency of compression that the bandage provides. Another key determinant of performance is the quality of cohesive used. The better this technology, the more able the bandage will be to remain in place for an extended period. -
Grip Enhancers3 Products
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K Tape9 Products
Kinesiology tape (also called K Tape) is designed to promote healing from repetitive stress injuries. This includes injuries from sporting, work or recreational activities. It works by gently lifting the skin over the injured area as the patient performs his or her regular daily movements. By facilitating the flow of blood and/or lymphatic fluids through the area, k tape accelerates healing and reduces the pain of the injury. You can find more information on this type of taping therapy in our blog post on how k taping works. As you browse the selection of k tape products below, you will notice that it includes two types of tape. There are regular tape rolls as well as pre cut tape segments designed for specific areas of the body. In general, you can use the regular k tape rolls on any area of the body on which you have experienced an injury. However, they will require somewhat more skill and knowledge for successful application. On the other hand, you can use pre cuts only on specific body parts. However, you will find them easier to apply than the standard rolls. When applying k tape, be careful ensure that the area to which you intend to apply it is clean and dry. You should also avoid using any lotions, creams or oils on the area before application. Additionally, if body hair is present on the area, it is best to shave it before application. Please bear these comments in mind as you browse our selection of k tape products below. -
Padding & Protection28 Products
Padding & protection is a fundamental aspect of the preventative approach to sports medicine. Pads provide protection from injury, or from further injury, for the athlete during training or competition. Athletes in a wide variety of sports routinely employ padding & protection equipment. It can range from the use of a simple piece of foam to reduce friction and blisters inside footwear all the way to a football helmet to protect against head injuries. Pads are classified as belonging to either soft, low density materials or hard, high density materials. Soft, low density materials are more comfortable on the body as a result of the presence of air in the material. On the other hand, hard, high density materials offer less comfort but greater protection from high impact forces. They are more able to absorb energy through deformation and this results in less force at the point of impact with the body. Some sports require at least minimum levels of padding & protection as part of rules governing practice and competition. In some cases, these rules also prohibit the use of certain materials (e.g. fibreglass, metal or other nonpliable materials) unless they are covered by high density closed cell foam or other similar material. -
PreWraps3 Products
Prewraps (underwraps) come in a thin, porous foam material and usually in 3 inch rolls. Therapists usually apply them to high friction areas of the body, or to bony prominences, prior to taping in order to reduce irritation of those areas. Underwrap will usually conform well to contoured surfaces like the ankle and will also stick lightly to itself upon application. This makes it a perfect choice to serve as the first layer in a taping job, protecting the injured area from direct contact with the zinc oxide adhesive present on athletic tape. For patients with sensitive or broken skin, this protection is very important. In addition to this primary use, prewraps also come in useful as a means of holding equipment or clothing in place or even to keep the athlete's hair away from the eyes during training or competition. Underwraps can even serve as temporary patellar tendon straps to those experiencing patellar tendonitis. -
Taping/Wrapping Accessories6 Products
To effectively carry out taping, wrapping or padding treatments, a therapist will usually find it convenient to have a range of taping/wrapping accessories available if needed. These may include cutters, pre tape sprays and tape removing spray as well as possibly other items. For most taping jobs, applying an adherent tape spray before taping will reduce tape migration and result in greater levels of support and/or stabilization for the patient. Once the tape has done its job, the priority during removal should be to avoid injury to the patient. The therapist will usually find it helpful to apply a tape removal solvent (in liquid or spray form) before attempting to remove the tape. These solvents dissolve the adhesive and reduce the likelihood of damage to skin or hair during tape removal. Patients who are removing the tape themselves will often find the use of taping scissors or other cutting tools convenient aids that simplify the task. -
Tensor Bandages3 Products
Tensor bandages are long strips of stretchable cloth that your doctor wraps around a sprain or strain. The pressure from the bandage reduces the flow of blood to the injured area. This in turn reduces the swelling from the injury and eases the pain. In addition to their use by your healthcare practitioner, you can use these bandages to treat mild injuries at home. In general, tensor bandages are more effective in the first one or two days after you have suffered the injury. After this period, other forms of treatment may be more effective. In general, these bandages are both washable and reusable and are relatively inexpensive. The bandages come in widths of 2" to 6" and may be of single length (6 yards) or double length (12 yards). They may also be classified as "econo" or deluxe, depending on the quality of the materials used to make them. -
Wraps7 Products
Wraps can generally be categorized as either elastic or self adherent. These two categories serve similar purposes but there are also some notable differences between them. Wrapping provides compression to reduce effusion and swelling and and also gives support and reduces range of motion when treating injuries. It is also a way to secure pads and dressings in place. Elastic wraps permit the user to adjust the level of compression during application. They also possess the advantage of adapting well to body contours and providing multi directional compression. In addition, they are generally reusable. Self adherent wraps also have elastic properties but, in addition, can adhere to themselves without causing irritation to the patient's hair or skin. They conform easily to various body contours and are capable of providing adjustable compression. However, they are generally suitable only for single use. Made from elastic yarn, they come in widths of 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4 and 6 inches and have a standard length of 6 yards.
