The second video is an update for our gluteus pain application. Using KT Tape will help to relieve pressure from the area by providing support, increase blood flow, and stimulate the proper reactions from muscles to alleviate symptoms. These functions help to reduce pain and prevent compensation injuries — injuries that arise from abnormal movement due to existing pain. Rest, massage, and strength training have also been shown to reverse the atrophic effects of sitting too long or inactivity and pressure. And though gluteus issues can be a real pain in the butt, KT Tape can help to relieve the pain and get you moving again.

The third video is for thumb pain. KT Tape has been shown to provide support during motion of the thumb and wrist, and has markedly reduced pain in many subjects. KT Tape also increases circulation to reduce inflammation and speed the healing process. Corticosteroid injections are thought to be successful, but do need to be weighed against the negative side-effects of increased degenerative effects. Surgery has been well accepted and successful in almost all cases, but conservative therapies are highly preferred prior to making this leap. Ice after activity, rest, and avoidance of activities that incite pain are all important steps to avoid surgery. A focus on proper lifting mechanics will also help to avoid these symptoms in the future.

We have many more new applications to come so check back tomorrow for more. Leave a comment and let us know what you think? Thx!

The second video is for lower back pain and is an updated version of our SI Joint application. If you’ve ever tried the the SI Joint app and liked it then you’ll love this one. We’ve added an extra strip of tape to this application which provides greater relief of pressure and pain, greater proprioceptive support, and increases circulation to promote the healing process. Relief is generally felt immediately and allows the body to return to a healthy posture and normal function.

The third video is for arch pain which is an improved version of the plantar fasciitis application. We basically beefed up the application to provide extra strength support. Using KT Tape for this condition has shown tremendous results in alleviating pain and promoting the healing process. KT Tape provides comfortable and conformable support for the arch serving to relax the foot and reduce inflammation. Reduced activity, stretching the calves, massage therapy, weight loss in overweight individuals, foam rolling, ice, and NSAIDs can all serve to help alleviate symptoms and treat plantar fasciitis. Stretch the calves and plantar fascia before going to bed and before getting out of bed.

We’ll continue posting new applications daily and all of the applications will be available on the instructions page soon. Leave a comment and let us know what you think? Thx!

Activities requiring intense concentration and limited body movement create stress that contributes to muscle pain in the neck and shoulder. Long drives, computer work, and similar activities often contribute to neck and shoulder pain.

KT Tape is helpful in relieving pain by providing support to the neck and shoulder muscles spreading the stress across a wider range of muscles. Bio feedback contributes to better posture which eases stress on the neck and shoulder. KT Tape can also relieve pressure on the points of pain in the back and send correct signaling to the muscles that allow them to relax.  KT Tape increases the range of motion when recovering from inflammation and injury.

Livestrong.com recently featured an article that provides further insights into how poor posture affects your body and tips for improving your posture and reducing pain:

Overview

Pain in the upper back while running is most likely due to poor posture. There are several positions your spine can misalign while exercising. If you experience this while running, it is probable that your everyday posture could be improved as well. Avoid letting your head jut past your shoulders, keep your shoulders relaxed from your ears and work on strengthening your upper back to help relieve upper back pain.

Causes of Pain

Everyday activities, such as sitting at a desk, driving, lounging on your couch and even making dinner encourage a slumped, bent-over position where your back and shoulders are rounding forward. Over long periods of time, your body adapts to this position, creating imbalances and losing flexibility that encourages better posture. Being aware of your posture when you’re not running will be the first step in improving your posture when you hit the pavement.

Dropping Your Head

Dropping your head forward so that it does not line up with the rest of your body is one of the main reasons for upper back pain, poor posture and misalignment. Doing this decreases the range of motion in your neck, tightens the muscles in your chest, fatigues your upper back and shoulders, puts extra stress on your lower back and overall hinders your performance. This may be the cause of your running pain and can be corrected by running upright with your ear lobes hovering above your shoulders and your shoulders above your hips.

Relaxed Body

Tension throughout your body can create stress in your upper back and neck. Let your shoulders relax away from your ears instead of hunching them up. Lifted shoulders create a harder position for your arms to move forward and back, making your muscles fatigue faster. Work on stretching your chest, neck and shoulders to loosen up the areas that may be tight for you prior to running.

Upper Back Exercises

Overemphasizing strength exercises such as pushups, chest presses and anterior shoulder raises only encourages the rounded upper back, since these exercises strengthen and tighten the muscles in the front part of your upper body. When strength training, be sure to include exercises for your upper back, such as rows, reverse flyes and pullups.

Considerations

Aside from proper posture and balancing your muscle groups, you should keep your running shoes updated, since running in old shoes can make your stride and posture worse. Replace them every year or every 500 miles, whichever comes first. Consider running on softer surfaces, like grass or a padded track, and focus on running in a forward motion rather than just up and down. If the pain persists or becomes problematic in other areas of your life, visit your doctor for a diagnosis.

For tips on easy upper back exercises, click here. To read the entire article, and for more articles by Jenna Morris, visit Livestrong.com.

The second-ever St. George Ironman kicked off last week, and KT Tape was a major player for many of the Ironman athletes there!  Dr. Jacob Luce of Luce Chiropractic and Dr. Tom Fletcher were two of the sports medicine doctors that treated athletes leading up to the race.

The winners of the 2011 St. George Ironman winner battled fiercely through high temperatures and a difficult course.  The winner for the men came down to the last mile of the race- with Mathias Hecht (8:32:03) followed closely by Maik Twelsiek who finished less than two minutes behind (8:33:46).  Hecht’s finishing time set a new course record by over eight minutes.

For the women, Heather Wurtele won her second St. George Ironman (she also won in 2010) with a margin of more than 35 minutes over second place Jackie Arendt (10:06:36).  Despite the heat Wurtele set a new course record with a time of 9:30:33.

Dr. Luce and Dr. Fletcher were onsite the week leading up to race to treat athletes preparing to compete.  This year the field had 1500 athletes, and the most popular triathlete injuries taped were:

1. Knee/IT band syndrome

2. Ankle

3. Hamstring

4. Low back

5. Shoulder

Click on the links above to view taping instructions for each of these applications.  To view more pictures of athletes taped at the St. George Ironman, visit the KT Tape Facebook page.

To view race results for the 2011 St. George Ironman, click here.

“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.

Here is an article we found from the Huffington Post on the health risks with shoveling snow:

Before you strap up your boots and grab your snow shovel, you might want to think twice. An average of 11,500 people in the U.S. are sent to the emergency room each year for injuries related to shoveling snow — injuries caused by slips and falls, acute muscle pain and cardiac problems — according to a recent study from the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.

While people may complain of a sore back (a common snow-shoveling injury), what doctors worry most about are the heart problems that result from the arduous chore. The study found that a mere two minutes of shoveling snow can spike your heart rate to unsafe levels.

Why such an extreme spike? Blame the cold weather. Cold air can cause blood vessels to constrict in the body, resulting in skyrocketing blood pressure, said Barry Franklin, Ph.D., Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Laboratories at Beaumont Hospital, on ABC News.

Cold weather and an activity that creates “excessive demands on the heart” make for a dangerous mix, he said. “The heart is working very hard, yet we’re not getting enough blood flow back to the heart.”

So is there a safe way to shovel snow? Snow-blowers considerably reduce the demands on the heart, said Franklin.

Common injuries related with shoveling snow that KT Tape can help with: back pain, wrist pain, sprained ankle.  For video taping instructions visit the KT Tape instructions page here.

This time of year, winter’s harsh temperatures can make arthritis and other joint issues particularly painful.  To help ease the pain and promote blood circulation, KT Tape can be applied to the affected joints.

Though KTTape.com has a plethora of applications for specific injuries,  arthritis pain can be very specialized, so we recommend finding a local KT Tape clinician to consult with about the best way to tape for your personal arthritis pain.   Let KT Tape help and don’t let winter arthritis slow you down.

For KT Tape applications click here.

To find a KT Tape professional in your area click here.

To email a question to one of our KT Tape experts click here.

I use KT tape on my ankle and it does everything I need it to do!! I also love that I can get it in my favorite color- NEON GREEN! I’m buying another roll to send to my husband for his runner’s knee, I can’t wait for him to try it! –Krystal Smith Johnson

I tape my knee for ITBS, and let me tell you… I went from not able to run at all to pain free long runs!! This stuff is AWESOME! –Steph Kitzman

Had a motocross get off last weekend, messed up both of my shoulders pretty good, had heard of KT tape but never used it till now, your tape ROCKS!!, it has help the pain and gave good support, thanks! –Chris Bowers

So after golfing sense i was 8 and marching on the drumline sense I was a freshman in high school (im now a freshman in college) I have royal screwed up both of my knees! My surgeon would not let me play college golf unless i wore these huge knee braces that were itchy, hot, and sweety and I hated them. Then my PT told me about KT tape and I tried it. I was a little scared at first because i am allergic to tape but i tried a little part of it on my skin and thankfully it was just fine. KT Tape saved my college golf career and a lot of hot itchy skin. sadley i do have to have surgey but that is due to genetics, KT tape saved me a lot of pain thank you KT Tape! –Katlyn J. Anderberg

So I am soo not a runner but I tore my foot and injured my neck in high school (color gurad) and I now work in an er. After many years of running around the er and failed attempts of pt I was really fed up. One of our OCC health girls said to try kt tape. (thank you stacy). This has really saved my life. I also use it for my wrist. I really look like I am going to war going into work every morning but my family thanks kt tape in the end because I am not crying at the end of the 12 hour shift. Thanks KT tape you really saved my feet, neck and wrist from more surgery!! –Karri Anderberg

KT Tape has saved me….So Thank you!!!!! –Carly Brent

Love this KT Tape. First morning in a long time I havent woken up to a stiff, sore, painful SI joint in the lower back. Good purchase, Josh. Good purchase. –Josh Blake

Thanks for all the love!  KT Tape fans are truly the best!

To follow KT Tape on Facebook and share your KT Tape story click here.

I’ve been an athlete my whole life. I’ve been so lucky and blessed to have enjoyed a healthy and strong body for most of my days. Aside from a few shoulder surgeries, some busted ankles, a bad back here and there, and two pregnancies, I’ve managed to maintain a high fitness level and a healthy weight throughout my athletic career. I am truly grateful for this!

Now that I’m 32 and still fighting my way back into fighting shape (and into my favorite jeans!), I no longer take my health and fitness level for granted — to put it simply, I can’t! The comeback trail, thus far, has been riddled with good times and positive strides, but also with newfound aches and pains and knick-knacky injuries. I’m still carrying some extra weight, which is humbling and has taken some of the figurative and literal pep out of my step.

To see how Kerri’s taking care of herself, keep on reading.

I need to get my mojo back, and here are some things I’m doing daily to make that happen:

Laying off the sugar: I’m trying to kick the unusually strong sweet tooth I have these days and I’m doing it one choice, one day at a time. Twenty-eight days to create or break a habit?! One day at a time!

Weight lifting: I’ve been working really hard on the beach and in the gym cardio wise, but I haven’t made lifting weights a priority until now! I love the feeling of gaining muscle and I love that having more muscle mass leads to a higher metabolism and more fat burned… Just what my body and mind needs!

Sleep: Aside from feeling sluggish and grumpy when I’m tired, my constant sleep deprivation hasn’t allowed my body to reap the rewards of all my hard work on the sand and in the gym. I’m trying my best to get as much sleep as possible at night. (Sundance is slowly getting to five hours straight at night!) And when my nighttime sleep is compromised, I try to make sure to get a lil’ nap in. A well-rested body is a healthier, more efficient, more capable one. This could be the hardest thing to accomplish on my to-do list, but it always makes a difference.

KT tape: I think I’ve mentioned this ridiculously wonderful product to you before, but I must mention it again because it’s literally saving my body! I’ve had some foot issues and swelling problems with various body parts, and it’s been KT tape to the rescue every time. Feet, shoulder, back, knee — you name the body part and it’s been aided by the tape.

Ice, ice, ice: As an athlete, I’ve learned how to deal with chronic pain. Ever since returning to the beach and returning to my daily aches and pains, I’ve been reminded of the power of a good ice bag. It doesn’t take long. I’ll ice for 10-12 minutes, but it ALWAYS does the trick. With some injuries it’s better to stay away from ice or to use heat, so make sure to check that out before icing. If icing is called for, DO IT! It’s such an easy way to feel better.

For more on Kerri Walsh visit her website here.

This past week we have received several inquiries from Professional Bull Riders who are preparing for the Professional Bull Riders World Finals in Las Vegas.  Bull riding didn’t immediately cross our minds when we created KT Tape, but it makes perfect sense.  Bull riding is extremely tough on the body, especially the back and shoulders.  KT Tape can help with back pain whether it’s SI Joint, lower, or middle back pain.  And the with the array of different shoulder applications, there is sure to be one that works for these riders.  We’re also suggesting the Rib Pain and wrist sprain applications for some of the guys.

We’re always excited when KT Tape charts new territory so we’re thrilled KT Tape will be on some of the riders at this event, good luck boys!

The PBR World Finals are taking place in Las Vegas October 20-24.  For event information and tickets visit the PBR website here.

KT Tape isn’t just limited to the playing field. It has countless uses and applications,  many of which are well suited for the everyday office dweller glued to their computer for eight hours a day.  Pains like carpal tunnel, neck and shoulder pain and lower back pain are often associated with spending long hours at a computer or hunched over a desk.  KT Tape has applications that can help relieve these pains and help you get on with your workday pain free.  Unlike many braces used to help these office injuries, KT Tape is breathable, flexible, comfortable and one application can last up to an entire five day work week.  Now that’s office efficiency.

For a complete list of KT Tape application instructions click here.

We are now making a special call-out to our Facebook fans for personal success stories and testimonials on particular injuries. This “KT Tape Promotion: Tell us your Success Story!” has some added perks too if you participate. We need testimonials from KT Tape users with the particular injuries listed below. Post your story on our wall between 6/21/10 and 6/28/10, and EMAIL your post to PROMO@KTTAPE.COM. In return, we’ll email you back with a discount code for 2 rolls of KT Tape for $20!

If you have any of the following injuries and a success story using KT Tape, please let us know! www.facebook.com/kttape

-AC Joint Sprain
-General Elbow Pain
-Pain at Top of Foot
-Foot Pad Pain
-Peroneal Tendonitis
-Posterior Tibial Tendonitis
-Heel Pain
-Jumper’s Knee
-Lateral/Medial Knee Pain
-Groin Strain
-Hip Flexor
-Gluteus Pain
-Rib Pain
-Middle Back Pain