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!

Courtesy: Peggy Peattie

Well, he did it! As we motioned last week, Mike Sheehy planned to crush a Guinness World Record of the most miles ran in a week–and he did what he set out to do! He finished his quest at the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, where he topped off  an amazing 408.04 miles in one week to snack the record.  The previous record was 350.2 miles in a week.

Sheehy is an adamant KT Tape user, and taped up his ailing Achilles tendonitis all week. He said he couldn’t have completed the run without taping up each day.

Besides breaking a World Record, Sheehy also ran for awareness raised money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Quoted from the San Diego Union-Tribune on how he stays inspired, “Cancer survivors, that’s what inspired me,” Sheehy said. “If I stopped running, the money would stop coming in.“

What an amazing accomplishment for a great cause! Mike, you are a true inspiration and the KT Tape team is so excited that we were able to help in a small way!

Not only are we supporting Sheehy in his impressive journey with KT Tape physically supporting his Achilles tendon, the KT Tape Team along with local clinicians will be at the KT Tape booth at the Health and Fitness Expo offering  free taping demonstrations and advice to athletes.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon Health and Fitness Expo will be held Friday June 4 from 11 am to 7 pm and Saturday June 5th from 9 am to 5 pm at the San Diego Convention Center on Harbor Drive. Because KT Tape can be worn for up to five days per application, San Diego Marathon runners who stop by the KT Tape Booth can get taped up for race day at the expo!

Now, Sheehy is set to do something big again.  With the support of LLS’s Team In Training,  He is attempting a Guinness World Record of the most miles run in seven consecutive days.

Here is an excerpt from his blog: “At noon, on 30 May 2010,  I will begin my epic adventure to break the current record of 351 miles. I’ll be utilizing the last 13 miles of the San Diego Rock n’ Roll Marathon course between Fashion Valley (mile marker 13) and Sea World (mile marker 26).“

Sheehy is accepting donations through his site which directly benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Sheehy is driven to help raise money and run for those affected by cancer. His answers on why he set this goal: “Over the years, I’ve learned that cancer doesn’t discriminate and can impact any of our lives at any moment. Someone will be diagnosed with a blood cancer every four minutes and someone will die from blood cancer every 10 minutes.  Sadly, during my seven days of running, approximately 1,000 people in the US will die from blood cancer. This is not okay!”

KT Tape will once again be there every step of the way for Sheehy’s incredible journey and important cause. KT Tape is a proud supporter of LLS’s Team in Training, and will also be at the San Diego Rock n’Roll Marathon to cheer on all the competitors and welcome him home! Good luck Mike!

Check out this video of Sheehy talking about how he uses KT Tape: Mike Sheehy talks KT Tape.

In my early twenties while hiking through Glacier National Park, I would quietly snicker at those using hiking poles.  I simply didn’t understand them.  But I have since learned that when you hike with poles, you are distributing weight and shock over four limbs instead of two.  People who use hiking poles discover an almost immediate benefit to their knees, especially on downhill terrain, according to Mats Lundkvist of thebackpacker.com

Hiking poles or staffs help us to reduce weight on our feet and legs. The modern design of the hiking pole distributes the weight evenly on the whole body instead of legs. According to one estimate poles can reduce 15% of weight from your legs by spreading it on the arms and other parts of body. As they act like your legs so they also bear some of the weight. Especially when you are climbing on a steep hill, the poles bear much weight than in normal walking so the percentage of weight may rise even further.

When you take the leap and get hiking poles, you are doing yourself a favor, not just for your knees but for your overall safety in the back country as you maneuver through early runoff, unstable scree or wildlife on the trail.  It’s good to be versatile.

Here at KT Tape, we know the meaning of versatility.  Kinesiology Therapeutic tape is used for a myriad of reasons in addition to drug free pain relief,  including correcting body mechanics, creating biofeedback and increasing circulation & lymphatic drainage.  When I hit the trail this weekend, I’m going to be outfitted with poles and using KT Tape…join me!

In preparation for the Indianapolis 500 race, the 34th annual 500 Festival and Mini-Marathon will take place this weekend, and KT Tape will be there too!

The KT Tape Team will be at the KT Tape booth at the Mini-Marathon Expo to offer free taping demonstrations and advice to athletes.  Every year, over 40,000 visitors make their way to the expo to check out over 80 booths and exhibitors.

The 500 Festival Mini-Marathon Expo will be held Thursday, May 6 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday, May 7 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Indianan Convention Center, Halls D &E at 100 S. Capitol Ave.

Because KT Tape can be worn for up to five days per application, Indianapolis Marathon runners who stop by the KT Tape Booth can get taped up for race day at the expo! KT Tape is used by athletes to treat common sports injuries such as runner’s knee, shin splints, IT Band pain, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, and quad or hamstring strain.  It is the only solution that will provide pain relief and support before, during, and after the race—without restricting motion.  At the Expo, the KT Tape team will be available to answer questions, demo product taping methods, and introduce Indianapolis to this revolution in pain relief and performance enhancement.