I started training for Ironman, France in December of 2010, developed intense Achilles tendon pain in February 2011, discovered KT TAPE that same month, and have used it consistently through the intense train-up and Ironman race in June. I still use it today. It totally keeps the Achilles pain at bay.

Below please find my race report. KT TAPE has seriously changed the way I train, race and enjoy triathlon. At one point, I thought my Achilles would knock me out of the race. You-all helped me cross the finish line and complete a life-long dream. Keep up the great work! WE ARE ALL SUPERSTARS WITH HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS!!!

The IronMom Dream – Fait Accompli

As I sit in the Nice, France airport waiting to board our flight for Rome, Italy, I can’t help but wonder if writing this race report may seem a tad redundant, given the detailed report Jim published on FaceBook during the event. Technology has certainly come a long way. Here we are in another country, six hours ahead of the United States, yet Jim is able to post pictures, realtime time splits, as well as report my physical and mental condition to more people than I would have ever expected. It was literally like you were all on the sidelines holding signs up, BeliEVE in EVE forEVEr!! The energy was absolutely amazing.

The last seven months have been life-changing. The Universe served up a bounty of good fortune each day, including PERFECT weather for training, no illnesses or viruses, no training time lost due to injury, and, of course, allowing me to cross paths with the most stellar and inspirational triathletes worldwide. Sometimes the stars and moons must align perfectly to bring one to their final destination…and this was just that occasion.

Arriving in Nice, France on the Thursday afternoon, we settled into our hotel across from Expo Village. I’m not going to lie, the butterflies began to flutter. We checked into the Expo to register before the masses arrived, then shortly thereafter met Alex, my ‘virtual Ironman training partner’ from Denmark. Alex and I had met a few months earlier on FB and had followed each other’s training plans; hence, the reason for my frequent training posts. We motivated each other via instant messages and wall posts, we compared heart rates, training rides, runs and swims, distances, terrains, temperatures. And although our training regiments appeared vastly different, we shared the same goal, to cross the finish line and hear those four words…You Are An Ironman! Little did we realize that participating in the event together would prove so beneficial.

Saturday was eventful. Transition bags organized and relinquished, bike turn-in would be my 15-seconds-of-fame celebrity moment. As soon as I departed the hotel room with Pink-a-Boo, the crowds stopped and stared…and took pictures. Little girls ran over to take a closer look. MANY of the European male athletes pointed and took photos with their phones, all professing their girlfriends would LOVE to see a pink bike. An Ironman representative spotted me and asked if I would pose under the faux finish-line arch. Of course, I obliged. As Ironman’s large cameras were flashing and rolling, so, too, were many other flashes and camera phones. There were 5 pink bikes at the event, but none nearly as pink as Pink-a-Boo. She took center stage and stole the show everywhere we went. Along the bike course, one of the penalty refs cautioned me to slow down. I thought for sure he was citing me, but, no, another Kodak moment for Pink-a-Boo. It was really cool having my own personal paparazzi, albeit for a short time.

As most of you know, Jim was an Ironman volunteer and was placed in transition. The morning of the race, he reported to duty before me, and by the time I arrived, he was busily chatting with the pros and pumping tires for many athletes. What a trooper. Transition is a VERY busy area, but from his vantage point, he was able to catch me at three different points and physically kiss and hug me upon entrance and exit. Lord, that carried me through.

2,500 blue caps and 191 pink caps toed up to the swim-start shoreline. Not quite the stats I had hoped for, but the mass swim start commenced at 6:30am sharp. The Mediterranean was everything I could imagine…sapphire blue, calm, alluring and not nearly as salty as the Gulf, which caught me off guard. The horn blew and the chaos erupted as the black-wetsuit-clad bodies piled into the water. It was a very rough start, which, unfortunately, carried through entire swim course. I’ve never played football before, but can only imagine this is what it’s like. I was kicked in the jaw, punched in the head several times, elbowed and physically pushed repeatedly. As we exited the first loop, a large male dragged me down, used me as his carpet to avoid stepping on the painful rocks, along with the jerk behind him, and I struggled to gain the attention of the volunteers, who graciously yanked me up. As we entered the water again for loop 2, I was much more prepared, as well as much more aggressive. I plowed my way through shoving and kicking and making up valuable time to the swim finish.

The bike course was epic. There’s no other word to describe it, and I don’t use that word lightly. The first 68 miles was an 8,000-foot ascent through the French mountains and numerous small villages. Mile 68 to 86 was up and down, Mile 86 to 99 was a steep, sharp-cornered descent with no guardrails along the edge off cliffs. Although it was a great recovery opportunity and a chance to make up some serious time, I used caution and rode my brakes and kept my speed at around 25 mph. Mile 99 to 112 was a fairly flat exit ride to the transition point. Obviously Florida training rides could not prepare me for these climbs. San Antonio would not have prepared me for this, either, as it turns out. But because I was churning on the climb for 3 1/2 hours at a 6.5 mph rate, the upswing was I was able to ride beside other athletes and chat. One of the cyclists I chatted with at great length was Adam, age 28. Having trained in the Shenandoah Mountain Valley range for the last six months, he was ready for this. We had exited the swim together, I caught up with him on the bike after my long transition and stayed with him through much of the bike course. Would this push cost me on the marathon??? My quads were shot.

Entering the run course felt like a dessert after the appetizer of a 2.4-mile swim and the main course of a 112-mile bike ride. Feet to pavement is where my comfort zone lies. Entering the transition tent, I checked the condition of my KT Tape, and believe it or not, it had withstood the last 9 hours of sweat and heavy mileage, as well as a sharp blow by a fellow swimmer’s fist during the early morning swim. Although I was ready to change the tape, it was unnecessary, and this saved me precious seconds on my transition time. As I entered the marathon course, my ever-nagging Achilles tendon pain was under control. Mentally, this is right where I needed to be.

Maintaining Z2 throughout the course to this point had bode me well, and I wasn’t switching it up on the marathon. My breathing was fluid and steady as I ran each of the four 6.4-mile loops. My pace was incredible the first loop. By the second loop, my right knee started to bother me. I’m absolutely sure this was due to the steep climbs on the bike course. Lord knows my poor knees were surprised with the long, steep elevation increases. By the third loop, the heat and fatigue made for a lethal combination and I watched several athletes collapse, succumbing to dehydration and exhaustion. My mindset hardened and I vowed not to become a victim this close to the finish line.

Each lap was rewarding as I was able to cross paths with Alex and Jim and receive my doses of motivation. Dressed in pink and one of only a handful of females on the course, both were able to spot me from yards away. Alex had an hour’s headstart on the run course, so he was always on the backside of the loop when we met up. What a great kid. He would jump across the median to give me a hug and say, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!! Yes, we are, I would say. Catch you on the next loop.

On the third loop, we hugged again, but this time he said, great job, Eve! At the rate you’re going, you’ll finish in 15 hours! I’ll be waiting for you at the finish line. He was thrilled for me, but I was not content with that finish time. I kicked it into high gear vowing only to stop for water, no stretching. Alex was clearly a whole hour ahead of me, but I dug deep and made up 45 minutes during the last 8 miles, finishing only 15 minutes behind the 6’6″ young Danish man. 14:06 it was. The last 3.2 miles was spent running and slapping young children’s outstretched hands right through to the finish line. The sheer joy and elation and adrenaline that surges through your body as you hear the announcer calling your name that last .5 miles is exhilarating! It’s a drug, more addictive than anything known to man, I’m sure.

Jim grabbed my hand and ran with me through the finish chute. Looking up at the clock, I realized I had beaten Alex’s 15-hour prediction by a landslide. I was relieved. Jim picked me up, hugged me and spun me around. Thinking there was finish-line video feed to my children and friends who were viewing, my body fought hard to find the last bit of energy to raise my leg and strike a pose…the Barrett pose, to be more precise. The finish-line photo is clearly my best photo moment of any race. Not only did I finish, I finished strong, KT Tape intact!! What a rush.

While crossing the finish line and tasting the sweet reward of victory was truly sensational, I soon realized the ultimate reward lie in the journey to that finish line. The life-long, world-wide friendships formed along the way made me realize that we are all exceptional beings yearning to push ourselves beyond what we thought possible. Many shared my journey, and many have been inspired through my journey. If you’re truly willing to put in the time and effort, as well as diligently follow through with your goals, your family and friends will support you. As I experienced, that’s what WILL carry you through the worst of the worst and lowest of lows.

Brevity has never been my strong suit, whether it be racing or writing race reports. As evidenced by this article, I especially enjoy endurance events. Please know that all of you reading this lengthy report have contributed to my success in your own special way. I can only hope to reciprocate when the time comes. To the 10-thousand dollar question that’s been asked of me a few times since race day, “Will you do another Ironman?”, my reply is simple: Cozumel, Florida and Arizona are on the radar… Here’s to a fabulous 2011 triathlon season! Hoping to read all about your race experience soon!

 -Eve J. Barrett – IronMom

Photos:  Ironman Finish Photo – KT TAPE is unfortunately hidden by my compression socks, Finishing a 15k Training run in May with Pink KT TAPE, Finishing Disney 70.3 Ironman in May with Royal Blue KT TAPE to match outfit, Swim Start of Olympic Triathlon in April with Beige KT TAPE on ankle, Finishing Sprint Triathlon in March with Beige KT TAPE on ankle

Runners who are looking for the cause of their foot, ankle, or knee pain may need to look higher. Weak hips are often the culprit behind patellofemoral syndrome, Achilles tendinitis, and iliotibial-band syndrome, according to Reed Ferber, Ph. D., director of the University of Calgary’s Running Injury Clinic. “Inadequate hip muscle stabilization is a top cause of injury in runners,” he says. “The hips need to be strong to support the movement of the feet, ankles, and knees.”

In 2007, Ferber conducted a study of 284 patients who compared leg pain.  He found that 93 percent of them had weak hip muscles.  After putting these people on a targeted strength program, 90 percent of them were pain-free within six weeks.

Those exercises (shown here) are now a major part of Ferber’s practice.  He recommends doing them daily after you run.  Start with one set of 10 reps and gradually increase sets so that you’re doing three sets of 10 by your fourth day.  You should see improvement in two weeks.  If you don’t, Ferber says to see a doctor because your injury could lie elsewhere.

SEATED HIP EXTERNAL ROTATOR
1. Attach a resistance band to the left end of a bench and loop the other end around your right foot.
2. Keeping your knees together, lift your right leg out to a count of two, then release back down to a count of two.
3. Repeat on the other leg.

STANDING HIP FLEXOR
1. Put your right foot in the resistance band and turn so you are facing away from the band’s anchor.
2. Keeping your right leg straight, lift it forward to a count of two, then release it back down to a count of two.
3. Repeat on the other leg.

STANDING HIP ABDUCTOR
1. Anchor a resistance band to a stable object.
2. Loop the other end around your right foot so the band crosses in front of you.
3. Standing with your left leg slightly behind you, keep your right leg straight and lift it out to the side. Lift it to a count of two, then release it back down to a count of two.
4. Repeat on the other leg.

To read the entire article, visit Runnersworld.com.

Tennis is a sports played throughout the year on various different surfaces.  With Wimbeldon being a part of the top sporting events taking place we take a look at some of the common injuries sustained by playing tennis and how kinesiology tape can support the injury and enhance recovery.

You have noticed during some sporting events that participants and professionals donning bright, multicoloured strips on their bodies; particularly around the shoulders, knees, elbows, thighs and wrists.

This is kinesiology tape, a sports injury phenomenon which was introduced into the UK in the early 70s.  Kinesiology tape uses the manipulation of skin contours to support muscle and tendons, they allow for blood circulation and lymphatic drainage allowing for reduction in swelling and pain relief.  Furthermore, using kinesiology to common sporting injuries also supports mobility which enhances recovery.

In this special blog we will look at some of the common injuries sustained whilst playing tennis. At this point I would like to stress that Kinesiology and the use of therapy tape is only a facet of your rehabilitation, we strongly recommend that you seek professional advice from your doctor or physiotherapist.

Tennis Elbow

Although labeled Tennis Elbow, this common injury is not just caused by playing tennis;  when you are suffering from Tennis Elbow you have actually strained the extensor tendons in the forearm. The tendons become inflamed where they join the bony part on the outside of your elbow.  Incidently, if this pain is on the inside they call it Golfer’s Elbow as the grip and twist is usually reversed.

Usually this strain has been caused by activities that involve gripping and twisting of the forearm.  If you are suffering from Tennis Elbow and want to use therapy tape to support your recovery click on the Tennis Elbow link here to see how therapy tape is applied.

Rotator Cuff Injuries

Rotator cuff injury and inflammation is one the most common causes of shoulder pain. This is caused by irritation and inflammation of the tendons of the rotator cuff. Rotator cuff injuries tend to have a sudden onset, so you feel pain almost immediately.

As in most cases with injuries of this type it is caused by overuse of the shoulder, particularly in tennis the shoulder is put through intense usage with serving and also reciprocating shots of the ball in reply to the opponent.

For shoulder injuries and details on how to strap up using Kinesiology Tape for injuries such as rotator cuff please click here.

Wrist Tendonitis

This is the irritation and inflammation of the tendons around the wrist.

The most common and consistent complaint of patients diagnosed with wrist tendonitis is pain over the area of the inflammation; swelling surrounding soft tissues is also common.

Check out the video on using Kinesiology tape for wrist injuries by clicking here.

Achilles Tendonitis

The Achilles Tendon is the large tendon at the back of the ankle; it connects the large calf muscle to the heel bone and provides the power for walking a running.

Achilles Tendon injuries are very painful and prevent you from walking, injuries can be sustained from inflammation of the tendon due to overuse.  This is very common in sports such as tennis and football and can take the sufferer several weeks or months to remedy.

Kinesiology tape is designed to support this type of common injury, to see how you can use therapy tape to support the injury click here.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome (IT Band)

IT Band pain, like Achilles Tendonitis, can be very painful, and knee symptoms can prevent walking.  It is often found in sports enthusiasts and also in women during pregnancy.

The band pain is caused by superficial thickening of tissue on the outside of the thigh extending from the outside of the pelvis to over the hips and knees.  As the band stabilizes, movement such as walking and running with continuous rubbing of the band can cause inflammation.

Symptoms range from a stinging sensation just above the knee joint to swelling and thickening of the tissue.  Unlike rotator cuff injuries the pain is not onset or sudden and may not actually be felt during exercise or movement, however this can intensify later…

To read the entire article, visit Medzooma.com.

To Celebrate International Dance Day last week, National Dance Week-NYC hosted its first ever flash mob in Times Square.  Peg Moore-Maioriello, owner of EmpireCityDance.com, Artistic Director of the FENIX dance company and a Master Teacher at New York dance schools, was one of the dancers in the flash mob sporting KT Tape to get her through the surprise routine!  Click on the youtube video above to watch the flash mob in action, and read below for more from Peg and how she uses KT Tape:

I will be 53 in May 2011 and live as a “Body-worker”: dancer, dance teacher, choreographer, and coach in New York City.  I am very excited about KT Tape; I finally found the product in a running store in Bronxville, New York in November 2010. Once I had KT Tape, I could not stop testing it on all my “52 year old dancer” body parts.  I can tell you that KT is directly responsible for helping me through the last few months. I cut back on my classes due to the harsh winter we experienced in N.Y. and used KT for injury prevention.  I wear a back configuration almost continuously.

Peg wore the KT Tape Achilles Tendonistis application while training for the flash mob.  Watch for Peg and all of her dancers at the New York City Dance Parade on May 21^st, 2011- they will be sporting KT Tape in their company colors!

And visit the Broadway Dance Center Facebook Page for more photos of dancers who love KT Tape!

“I am completely and totally in shock! I could hardly move my knee this morning, and have a HUGE run tomorrow. This was recommended after 3 different knee braces didn’t work/support/relieve. WOWOWOWOW. Immediate flexibility and decreased pain. I can think of nothing I want to do more right now than run my A– off! Thank you. A customer for LIFE! ♥” -Colleen

 “I ran last night with the new taping method and my knee felt amazing!  I had no pain! Thank you so so much for all of your help! I really appreciate it.”  -Karen

“1 easy mile yesterday, no pain, 3 easy miles today, still no pain. Thanks @KTTape.” -Nick

 “Oh my gosh my knee has not hurt since I taped it like the picture you sent!  I can straighten and bend it without it hurting, and working all day with it taped, it doesn’t hurt at all…”  -Amanda

 “Well I want to tell my story!! Ran at the Thunder Road Marathon today and I was going in with sore calves from calf pulls.  I saw the vendor there at the expo and he “taped’ me up- well I ran a half marathon with NO calf pain!  LOVE IT!!!”  -Kelly

 “I would like to begin by saying your product is AMAZING.  I have chronic SI joint pain and used it for the first time at the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon.   Normally, I can only run several miles before having to stop and stretch out my back.  Running was always painful for me and thus, I have been avoiding it for several months.  I have run several marathons and thought I would have to give it up, but my husband decided he wanted to try a half.  He signed us up and I figured that I would have to walk the majority of the way because the pain had been so bad recently.  Fit to Run was taping at the expo so I figured I would give it a try.  I am here to say absolutely NO PAIN at all during the run.  While I did not post my best time I was not far off given the fact that I literally did not train at all for this run.  I was only off by 6 minutes. I am a believer in this tape!” -Shelly

 For a full list of injuries and how to tape, visit the KT Tape Instructions Page.

We had a blast last month at the Walt Disney World Marathon Expo.   Over 60,000 fans visited the expo and we taped non-stop through the whole race weekend!   Here are a few of our favorite taping experiences- including the most unusual and most popular injuries we witnessed…

Favorite Quote from a New Customer: “I have not felt this good in ten years!” –Yoram, after applying KT Tape on his Achilles Tendon for the first time.

 From Pam, Goofy Challenge Finisher:  “I ran the Goofy (39.3 miles within 24 hours) with Plantar Fasciitis and a heel spur… had a WONDERFUL experience and am recovering better than ever because of my KT Tape.  Thank you for the team’s incredible (and hard!) work at the Expo.  You all were wall-to-wall both days.  Grateful.”

 From Andy, a devoted KT Tape user:  “Thanks for running with me and supporting my right ankle throughout the race.  Couldn’t have made it to this point without you!  …I look forward to seeing you all… for sure at next year’s Disney Marathon! (and everytime I look in my gym bag!! LOL ”

 From Mike, a first-time KT Taper:  “I met you this past weekend and you taped up my IT Bands!  I finished my first Marathon and I don’t think I could have done it without your help!”

 From Ron, a frequent KT Taper:  “Thanks for taping my foot both days at Disney. It made a huge difference and I may have not finished the marathon without it. You helped me a lot and a felt like I was getting personalized service which is amazing considering how many people you taped that weekend. You helped a lot of people that weekend. Good job.” From Chelsea, after her first self-application of KT Tape:  “You taped up my dad’s ankles and showed me how to tape my hip yesterday at the Disney running expo.  I just wanted to thank you!  I taped up last night and do not feel any pain in my hip as of yet since the marathon!  My dad also said his ankles and knees feel the best they have after running a long distance!  Thanks for all your help.”

 Most Unusual Injury:  “We met at the DisneyWorld race expo.  I am the girl with the 2 inch sewing needle in her foot.  Just thought I would drop you a note to tell you that the weekend went great.  Got through both the 1/2 and the full marathons without any pain.  Yipee!  Between the KT tape and some acupuncture, it made all the difference between what would have been complete agony and a fun Disney experience.  I will definitely be trying the KT tape again in the future and have already recommended it to some of my running friends.  So, thanks for taping up my toe and foot!  Super grateful!”

 Most Popular Injury Taped at Disney Marathon Expo: 

As many of you guessed, it’s RUNNER’S KNEE!

From Patricia Heuvel:

“After six days of dealing with shin splints, I am walking normal again thanks to KT Tape! I am running in my first marathon Oct. 24. With race day just four weeks away having to recover from shin splints does not fit into the training plan.

I have seen KT tape on athletes, but it wasn’t until my husband, who deals with achilles pain, did some research last night that we actually considered using it ourselves. My husband, also training for the marathon, was heading out of town to play in a soccer match. He planned on picking some tape up and applying it before his game.

He sent me a text with his first impression. “first impression, tape is pretty decent. keeps things tight so you don’t notice the pulling/stress.” I couldn’t wait to try it myself, but my training run wouldn’t wait so I ran my scheduled 14 miles in pain.

My husband’s second text “kttape gooooooood”

Upon his return my husband found me reclining in my lazy boy, shin compressed, ice pack on. He handed me the tape. I watched the instructional video one more time and viola! I felt relief INSTANTLY! I used the taping position for shin splint anterior and it worked immediately. I got up out of the chair and thought that nothing short of a miracle had just occurred!

Thanks KT tape for the video instructions and this miraculous product. I will recommend this to everyone I know!”

Thanks Patricia for your awesome testimonial and good luck on your first marathon!

Click here for full taping instructions.

All taped-up and ready to hit the road with a new roll of KT Tape in their bags, Rick and Cali set out for their next stop, Mt. Rainier.  Good luck guys, and have fun on the Playground!

You can follow The Playground Tour on their blog or go to Wend Magazine Online to find out more.

The KT Tape PRO EDU Program has partnered with California Education Connection (CEC), one of the leading education firms serving Athletic Trainers, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Chiropractic Physicians and other healthcare professionals.  Live, two-day workshops across the country are available to help professionals learn how to use KT Tape as a comprehensive modality for helping patients improve function, reduce pain, and recover faster. CEC/KT Tape instruction focuses on clinical and therapeutic strategies.  For more information on specific classes, qualifications to attend, schedules, and CEUs, see www.kttape.com/professional-education.

KT Tape and Sport Medics, an online education company focused on sports medicine professionals, offer an online continuing education course called Kinesiology Taping Fundamental Applications, designed and instructed by KT Tape clinician Dr.Ted Forcum, DC, DACBSP, FICC, CSCS, ’08 Olympic Sports Medicine Team Member. The course covers the basic philosophy and techniques of kinesiology taping and instructs students how to implement 19 basic therapeutic applications. Through this multimedia course, students can learn the basics of using Kinesiology Therapeutic Tape as well as practical applications.

Check out what Bicycling.com had to say about the Ashland Mountain Challenge,

The Mt. Ashland course has long been a favorite of racers, drawing competitors from as far away as British Columbia, Colorado, and Pennsylvania. The route follows fast fireroads and swooping singletrack down Mt. Ashland and finishes in the city of Ashland, in southern Oregon. In total it drops 4,000 vertical feet over its length, but the rolling terrain, including one stiff climb early on, add 600 feet of climbing along the way. It definitely rewards those with big lungs over riders with pure descending skills, though it requires a healthy dose of both.

Local Nathan Riddle turned his homefield advantage into a fifth-place finish. Photo by Adrian Marcoux. The trails were in near-perfect shape on race day, still moist from the late-season snow which had covered the top of the course only days earlier. Finishing times were slightly longer than last year only because a deviation at the end of the course added about a minute of rolling terrain to race this year.

Next year, the course might be even better. Organizers hope to replace a long stretch of fireroad in the middle of the course with several miles of tight, rolling singletrack. For more information, and complete results, visit obra.org.

Photo of Sheehy courtesy: Michael Brooks

Check out an excerpt from our interview –

How are you feeling?

Sheehy: I am totally exhausted physically and mentally. I am feeling better physically, but mentally and emotionally still drained, but proud. The outpouring of community support from the folks in San Diego was overwhelming and amazing. I felt really connected to the area and met some amazing people. The support just keeps coming in. We’ve set a new goal of $50,000 and are currently at $45,000 and it’s still climbing.

Tell us about your motivation.

All proceeds from this went directly to the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. I was simply a mechanism to raise money for a worthy cause. While it was certainly very cool to break a Guinness World Record, it certainly wasn’t the main motivation. Once I received my plaque for breaking a World Record, I gave it right over to the Leukemia and Lymphoma society.

How did KT Tape help?

Oh, KT Tape and I have a long history together! I got started using KT Tape back in January when I ran from Phoenix to San Diego. I taped up my painful Achilles tendinitis and Plantar Fasciitis and have been using it ever since. I also had to tape up my IT band last week to complete the run. KT Tape is super easy for me to apply. I just follow the instructions provided in the box and can run virtually pain-free. My coach was stunned how well I was able to train and run with KT Tape. I really appreciate KT Tape being a huge part of this fundraiser–I couldn’t have completed the run without it!

Great speaking with you, Mike–we are huge fans, and we’re thrilled to be along for the ride.  Er, run.

My name is Joe McCaleb and I am a Physical Therapist from Colorado Springs. Up until a month ago I hadn’t heard of KT Tape but that all changed with a trip to my local sporting goods store. Being a skeptic I do not tend to buy into every “rehab tool” that I find. I bought a box, checked out the website and tried it on myself and I was sold!

I found the KT TAPE page on Facebook and became a fan. I was contacted by the KT Tape team to assist at the Teva Mountain Games in Vail.
So I decided to help out. Why you may ask? Because KT Tape works like nothing I have ever seen. I am using it on about 60% of my patients in my practice with about 96% effectiveness. I again, was sold on it. So when given the chance to tell folks more I jumped at the chance. Let me tell you I learned so very much from this “clinical experience” on the fly.

This weekend we taped up more people than I could count… for me there are several who come to mind but I’ll mention two. First was a hard core runner who has developed plantar fasciitis about nine months ago. He’d tried tennis balls, golf balls, IFC, ulltrasound, etc…nothing had worked. He was compensating so much that his left Achilles tendon was now hurting him. I taped his right plantar fasciitis and his left Achilles. He stood and walked for me…his face said it all as his pain almost completely disappeared.

Next was a woman who had a cast on her left forearm and was a rock climber. She’d been in an accident and since then had also tried multiple methods to reduce pain on her good right arm. She said that she often had no feeling in most of her right hand but usually constant numbness in her ulnar 3 fingers. I did a manual muscle test on her and then did the taping for medial epicondylitis…in literally seconds, she said she could feel her fingers.
I didn’t have a most common taping and I am not sure that I had a favorite but what I did find that was amazing was the numbers of people who came in with acute and or chronic problems who were skeptical suddenly gained relief. Seeing these folks walk away pain free was pretty amazing to see.

Thanks so much, Joe, for joining us and doing such a great job–it was fun!