Like many of us who are getting older, Tiger Woods sometimes wakes up with neck pain after an awkward night of sleep. But considering all of Tiger’s previous injuries, this development of kinesiology tape on his neck at the 2018 British Open has caused a bit of a concern among fans. According to Steve DiMeglio of USA Today, Tiger woke up with a stiff neck, put on kinesiology tape and quickly felt better”. Roger Maltbie later confirmed word from Woods’s camp. “Well, the story is that it’s really a common malady, it’s happened to us all,” Maltbie said. “Slept funny last night on the pillow and woke up with a stiff neck. Put on the KT Tape in an effort to relax and loosen up that neck.”
KT Tape, the brand worn by Woods, has been used by top athletes for years, and it lifts the skin to reduce the lymphatic fluid that causes inflammation, pressure, pain and swelling after injury or overuse.
Here are the top 5 benefits of kinesiology tape:
- Pain Relief: Although it contains no medications or topical substances, kinesiology tape can effectively relieve both acute and chronic pain. Its elasticity lifts the skin slightly, which immediately reduces pressure on sensitive pain receptors under the skin.
- Reduced Swelling and Inflammation: Reduced pressure on the lymphatic drainage channels enhances removal of fluids and other materials that collect in an injured area.
- Speedier Recovery of Overused Muscles: Fatigued, overused muscles contain byproducts of exercise (such as lactic acid) that contribute to pain and stiffness and limit the ability to continue exercising. When kinesiology tape is used over these areas, enhanced removal of these byproducts allows for more rapid recovery. Combined with improved delivery of oxygen via enhanced blood flow, this could translate into improved performance in an endurance event or more complete recovery between repetitive, high intensity events.
- Supports Injured Muscles and Joints without Restricting Range of Motion: The unique elastic properties and application techniques of kinesiology tape allow it to provide support to injured muscles or joints without restricting range of motion.
- Allows Athletes to Remain Active while Injured: This is one of the most important benefits of kinesiology taping for competitive athletes. Depending on how it is applied, kinesiology tape can prevent either overstretching or over-contraction of injured muscles. When combined with its pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties, this can allow athletes to continue training and/or competing as their injuries heal.
If you have any of the conditions listed above, please consider speaking with your doctor about the use of kinesiology tape on your ailments. As far as Tiger, considering he shot even par in his first round, he’ll be just fine.
