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

VeloGuy: “I have knee problems that seem to flair when I spend a lot of time on my bike climbing. I tried the KT Tape on one of my 5+ hour climbing rides and was amazed at the complete disappearance for all pain. I am impressed.”

Allyson: “KT Tape is nothing short of amazing. My Plantar Fasciitis has been a royal pain for last few years. I had an Olympic triathlon only two week aways and I was barely able to walk, let alone run. I used the KT Tape and in two days the pain had been reduced enough to get back to my training. I did the Triathlon and set nto only a running PR, but a distance PR. Thanks KT Tape.”

Bicycle.net awarded KT Tape 4 out of 5 chain rings!

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.

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!

We found that the most common injuries marathoners requested taping for included shin splints, runner’s knee, IT band and Achilles tendonitis. And in the spirit of the city of Boston, runners loved the new “Green Monster” Green and the “Red Sox” Red KT Tape.

Our advice to runners looking to participate in the Boston Marathon: Put your name along with your number on your bib — you’ll have a lot more fans cheering your name no matter what place you come in!

So thanks to the city of Boston and the folks at the Boston Marathon! We can’t wait to see you again next year!

And pros aren’t the only ones who’ve been sporting KT Tape. Tennis players and athletes at all levels have jumped on the drug-free pain management wagon — check out the KT Tape facebook page to read their stories.

The Sony Ericsson Open, held at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Miami,FL, continued through April 4. If you’d like to spot some KT Tape in action, you can keep up-to-date with the most recent scores at Tennis.com. And don’t forget to let us know who you saw wearing KT Tape.

An article Runner’s World published back in 2004 took a look at famous athletes with a history of running barefoot. The article points out that in 1960, Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila, arguably the best marathoner of all time, won his first consecutive gold medal and a World Reocrd sans shoes. And from 1955-1967, England Bruce Tulloh was setting many European records — always in bare feet.
Charlie “Doc” Robbins, the winner of two USA National Marathon Championships in the late 1940s, completed 50 straight Thanksgiving Day Road Races in Manchester, Connecticut, before calling it quits two years ago. Most Thanksgivings, Robbins went shoeless, though he would resort to a pair of socks if the temperature dipped below 20 degrees, says the Runners World article.

Here are 5 tips from barefootrunner.com to get you ‘barefooting’ safely in no-time:

1) Go barefoot whenever you can. At home, in the garden, in the office (if you can), playing with the kids, taking the pooch for his daily walk. The more your feet rediscover what they’re capable of, the better your feet will feet and so will your soul. Take a look at our minimal shoes reviews to find a pair best suited for your lifestyle.

2) Stop and think, “do I really need those stinkin’ shoes to go?” Sure, certain social or public situations require them, as do certain environmental conditions. Just take 5 seconds and consider if you can manage without shoes, if you can, go for it!

3) Start slow, but start. If you’re a runner you have a great opportunity to run lighter, faster, injury-free and even discover a new running outlook. But don’t ditch those sneaks and go unshod without a plan. Well, you can but your calves will hurt, the feet will tingle, and you may be sore in where you’ve never been sore before. When running in shoes (Barefoot 101) the muscles in your feet have been asleep for a very long time. Be patient as they strengthen over time. For the average runner that means 5-10mins of barefoot running on pavement per run for the first little while.

4) Let go of the stigma. Isn’t it ironic how ‘going barefoot’ has negative social stereotypes; while gymnasts, dancers, martial artists and other pro’s depend on their naked feet. Why the taboo of being naked from the ankle down? So the next time you feel uncertain of going barefoot, just remember that you’re doing the right thing for your body. And if someone asks, just say your feet need a workout.

5) Listen to your feet. No different than those aches your body may feel after a killer gym session, long training run, hardcore trail ride, or showing off your skills on the ski hill. As you introduce barefoot running or walking into your training, you’ll notice that shorter than usual runs will cause muscle and arch tenderness. Don’t plan on that Sunday morning 15 miler training dash for at least 3-4 weeks. Don’t force it. You’re awakening, straining and training muscles that have been asleep for a long time. At the same time, those ‘comfy’ shoes have thinned your soles and strengthening of them will take time, again, patience.

Here at KT Tape, several of us have enjoyed going barefoot more often during short runs.  Don’t forget, if you choose to pick up barefoot running, don’t forget to keep using KT Tape on any sore muscles or joints…and check out taping techniques for all kinds of running here:  taping applications

Wrong! Everyone’s gait is unique and different. And everyone has different needs when it comes to athletic shoes and support. An article at thestretchinghandbook.com delves into the science behind common running issues.

The Stretching Handbook: “The two conditions we are going to concentrate on in this issue are pronation and supination. These two terms refer to a foots natural rolling movement while walking or running. This motion is sometimes called the running gait, and is described at the New Balance web site as…
“A unique set of actions and reactions that your foot performs while in motion to support, cushion and balance your body.”

Pronation refers to the inward roll of the foot during normal motion and occurs as the outer edge of the heel strikes the ground and the foot rolls inward and flattens out. A moderate amount of pronation is required for the foot to function properly, however damage and injury can occur during excessive pronation. When excessive pronation does occur the foot arch flattens out and stretches the muscles, tendons and ligaments underneath the foot.

Supination is the opposite of pronation and refers to the outward roll of the foot during normal motion. A natural amount of supination occurs during the push-off phase of the running gait as the heel lifts off the ground and the forefoot and toes are used to propel the body forward. However, excessive supination (outward rolling) places a large strain on the muscles and tendons that stabilize the ankle, and can lead to the ankle rolling completely over, resulting in an ankle sprain or total ligament rupture.

Some of the common injuries related to pronated and supinated gates include arch pain, heel pain, flat feet, shin splints and achilles tendonitis. Check out KT Tape’s application for achilles tendonitis.

The best way to figure out if you’re a neutral, overpronator  or oversupinator runner is to head to your local running specialty running store for a Treadmill Gait Analysis.

Much thanks to Sandy Dover and our friends at SLAM Magazine for the great review on KT Tape. In the review, Dover not only highlights how pro ballers use KT Tape for healing and rehabilitation, but have a first-hand view of how it’s applied and how it works.

From SLAM Online’s Sandy Dover:

“The tape itself can be used literally from the neck down to the feet and can be used to treat pain and support the neck, shoulders, elbows, upper and lower back, wrists, upper and lower legs, knees, ankles and feet. So you have runner’s knee? Check. Tennis elbow? Roger that. Spin splints, sprains and tendinitis? Yes, si, and da, it treats all of those ailments. KT Tape can even be used for that blasted plantar fasciitis (…Brandon Roy…Tony Parker…Ron Artest…). In the similitude of Kevin Garnett, I decided to wrap the tape around my knee like he might, and since I just have the occasional symptoms of runner’s knee (non-chronic, knock on wood) and it was the easiest place to apply without needing a second person to assist me, I went for it.

It felt quite comfortable and it felt surprisingly supportive around my knee. Then, after waiting for the non-latex tape to set on my skin before I did anything else, I went and did some high-impact cardio exercise in the form of rope jumping. Because that activity is the best way for me to measure how much support the KT Tape was going to offer for my KT Taped knee, I did that for 30 minutes and alternated foot jumps for variety and further measuring and judgment.

Basically, I finished and I had no problems, no pain and the tape was still intact–it was a positive experience. It really was, and it acted like external tendons or ligaments for my knee (in a way that Nike’s Vectran threads in the Flywire technology are used to wrap the foot in athletic shoes–namely in the various Zoom Kobe, Hyperdunk and Hyperize basketball series).”

We’re excited to see more and more basketball players making KT Tape part of their training, game-day and post-game regimen.

To read Sandy’s entire article, click here.