Sunday, 3 August 2008

Mummifying the Joints

By: Mujuthaba

Taping and bracing, in sport and exercise, is a method of injury prevention in general. The application mimics ‘extra’ ligaments and tendons to control and tighten the range of motion of a joint. Taping and bracing are in theory the same but in practical aspects different. The difference between the two methods is the use of constructed braces for ‘bracing’ and the use of tape for ‘taping’. Taping is also termed as strapping. There are cons and pros of both, which you will figure out as you go on.


Taping and bracing is done for two main reasons, prevention and rehabilitation. Prevention in a sense that an athlete is restricting a potentially injury-prone motion of a joint. Rehabilitation patients are recommended to go through taping and bracing to protect the injured joint from further injury and excessive motion.


In case of taping, the type of tape used and the taping skill of the therapist/trainer are important factors in weighing the effectiveness of its application. The tapes used should not be elastic, as elasticity of the tape would not restrict the desired motion of the joint. The tape used for taping should be adhesive, rigid, strong, non-irritant and easily torn by the therapist/trainer. A number of strapping tapes are in the market these days, appropriately constructed for application.


The effectiveness of taping has been questioned by some physios, coaches and trainers as the adhesiveness of the tapes are lost as soon as 20 minutes due to sweating and when the athlete starts moving around. Multiple taping has to be conducted in a single game if the athlete goes unharmed by loosened tape.


Bracing is easy compared to taping. In bracing a commercially made brace is used in order to restrict the movement of the joint. This may be easier than the hassles of taping, where time and money (tape) is saved. The cons of bracing could be the high cost of effective braces in the market and also the fact that some of them may not be applicable or suitable to some individuals.


As an injury preventive method, taping has not been shown to be effective in the shoulder, knee, elbow or the spinal joints. The most effective joints are the ankle, wrist and the fingers. In many cases, coaches and trainers use the bracing and taping method on athletes to boost their performance through psychological means. Mainly athletes who come out of rehabilitation tend to depend on the tape and braces, with the fear of further injury or low performance.


Healthy individuals should not rely on braces and tapes too often. Using this preventive technique only for a game can be different from presenting one-self with tape and bracing for every practice session. This may eventually decrease the individual’s range of motion of the joint and reduce the strength of underlying musculature around the joint. Therefore as a trainer or coach, it is necessary to persuade the athlete to gradually avoid relying on taping and bracing.


Taping and bracing should be considered in fast and contact sports as an injury preventive mechanism. Depending on taping and bracing too often as a healthy athlete should be reconsidered. As a trainer, it is extremely important to know where to apply tape, how to tape effectively and when to say no to taping and bracing.

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