THERAPEUTIC TAPING

What is elastic therapeutic taping?
Elastic therapeutic taping is used as an adjunct to physical therapy. It is used to increase carryover from a child’s treatment session to when they are at home. Therapeutic tape is a cotton tape with elasticity woven in, which means that the tape will not restrict movement. There are several brands, including Kinesio Tape and SpiderTech Elastic Sports Tape.

Why is it used on children? Elastic therapeutic taping is used on children with sports injuries, cerebral palsy, low muscle tone, gait abnormalities, and torticollis, just to name a few. It is used to provide stability to a joint, facilitate a muscle action, decrease overuse of a muscle, or assist in healing of an injured area.

What will it help?
Elastic therapeutic tape is used in many ways, but overall it is used to help assist a child in meeting their gross motor goals. For instance, a child with low muscle tone may have difficulty sitting independently or standing, so a physical therapist would use elastic tape to facilitate their abdominals to activate. A child who walks with their thighs or feet turned inwards may use taping to help facilitate more neutral alignment. A child who has swelling in their ankle from a sports injury may use taping to improve lymphatic flow.