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Kinesiology Tape: Used to Reduce Bruising and Swelling?
Bruising can be painful and take a long time to heal, so professionals are always on the hunt for new ways to try and speed up the healing process. As a result, there has been quite a lot of interest in kinesiology tape and whether it can play a part in the recovery timeline when a patient presents with severe bruising and swelling following an accident or injury. As yet, this remains an ongoing study without any official confirmation, but we have also had positive feedback from customers who use our tape, so let’s look at the thoughts behind the idea.
What is Bruising?
Blunt trauma is one of the most significant bruising issues; believe it or not, when we hurt ourselves and the skin is cut open, the bruising factor is less because the swelling and blood have somewhere to go. However, if you fall or get hit and the skin remains intact, it can very quickly become a site of swelling and bruising as the pressure builds up, but no release option is available. As a result, the swollen tissue is sore, and the blood vessels damaged by the trauma bleed into the skin and cause bleeding. In many cases, the bleeding resolves on its own, but as you will know, bruises can take a while to fade and often go through pretty interesting colour changes during this time.
The Lymphatic System
The proposed science being put forward as to why kinesiology tape helps reduce swelling and bruising lies in the lymphatic system and the role it plays in the body. While the circulatory system is busy ferrying blood around the system, the lymphatic system is the support act. It has the job of transporting other components, including waste products and plasma. Plasma is one of the things the body uses to protect tissue in the case of bruising, and the reason why it appears to swell as plasma and white blood cells rush to the area to protect the injury part.
Kinesiology Taping
As you can imagine, when an area swells, the space becomes limited, and things get congested, which is why it takes a while to settle and go down. Bruises can also spread further as the whole area is just too clogged up. The initial research suggests that when applied correctly, kinesiology tape helps lift the skin and create the basic movement and, more important, the space needed by the lymphatic system so its team of workers can take out the trash as it were.
Warning Notes
While the use of kinesiology tape is considered generally safe, you should consult a doctor if you have pre-existing heart or circulatory issues before using it to try and reduce swelling and bruising. Our tape is gentle on the skin and should not cause any problems, but if you experience and pain or itching, you should remove it immediately and clean the area gently. We would be interested to hear from any customers who have a positive story about using kinesiology tape to assist in the recovery from bruising and swelling.
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