Alright, so I’ve been dealing with this annoying tennis elbow for a while now. You know, that nagging pain on the outside of your elbow? Yeah, it’s a real pain in the butt, especially when you’re trying to do everyday stuff like lifting a coffee mug or turning a doorknob.
So, I heard about this thing called kinesiology tape, and how it can supposedly help with tennis elbow. I was like, “What the heck is that?” Turns out, it’s this stretchy, colorful tape that athletes use to support their muscles and joints. I figured, why not give it a shot? I mean, people can even try applying it themselves. Better than nothing, right?
Getting Started
First things first, I needed to get my hands on some of this tape. There are tons of videos online about this topic, so I just watched a few and figured out what I needed.
Prepping the Area
Next, I had to prep my arm. I guess they say you need to clean and dry the area where you’re going to put the tape, because, you know, hygiene and stuff. No brainer, right? So I just cleaned it, made sure it was totally dry.
Applying the Tape
Okay, so this is where it got a little tricky. I watched a few different videos on how to apply the tape, and they all had slightly different methods. But basically, you need to cut a few strips of tape – I did one long one and two shorter ones. Then, you gotta stretch the tape a little bit, but not too much, and stick it on your arm in a specific way. I kind of followed the basic pattern from a video, but I’m sure I didn’t do it perfectly.
- The Long Strip: This one goes along the outside of your forearm, starting from the back of your hand and going up past your elbow. I had to bend my wrist down and kind of twist my arm to get it in the right spot. I rubbed it a bit to make sure it was really stuck on there.
- The Shorter Strips: These two go across your elbow, right where it hurts the most. I had to stretch these ones a little bit more than the first one. Supposedly, this helps to support the muscles and take some pressure off the tendon.
The Result
Honestly, it felt a little weird at first. Like, my arm was all taped up and I wasn’t sure if it was doing anything. But after a day or two, I started to notice a difference. The pain wasn’t completely gone, but it was definitely less intense. I could actually lift things without wincing in pain. It’s not a miracle cure, but it’s something, you know? I am happy to find a method to make me feel better.
So, yeah, that’s my experience with kinesiology taping for tennis elbow. It’s not rocket science, but it’s also not as easy as it looks. I would recommend if you are also facing this problem, just give it a try. It might just give you some relief. And who knows, maybe you’ll even get good at it and start taping up all your friends’ aches and pains. Just remember, I’m not a doctor, so don’t take my word as gospel. If you’re really hurting, go see a professional, okay?
