KT Tape on Cycling: Is it a Make or Break?
Posted by Guardian Athletic on Sep 15, 2021
Cycling is one of the best activities that everyone can do since everyone can own a bicycle. Also, this activity burns more calories than sprinting since your whole body is focused on its weight, strength, and endurance so that you will be able to cycle long distances. Most of us love cycling with our friends, not for competitions.
Since cycling is focused mostly on your lower body part like your legs, expect that you may feel that intense muscle pain during or after cycling. There is no need for you to worry about it since this is normal; muscle pain is a sign that you are working hard and physically exerting your body cycling.
However, not all of us have the same pain tolerance, which can cause muscle pain to result in injuries while cycling. There are many ways to prevent this, and one of these ways is using KT Tape.
How Effective is It?
Japanese chiropractor Dr. Kenzo Kase made KT tapes or kinesiology tapes, and its purpose is to support your muscles and joints as you do physical activities such as cycling. The human body is too complex, making it unpredictable, so you will see that many cyclists have KT tapes on their knees and ankles since these are the joints that will power them when cycling.
When you are experiencing knee pain while cycling, you should stop somewhere since this can cause injury or, worse, accidents since you are distracted by knee pain. KT tapes are not for showing off your gear on the road, and these are sports equipment that will help you prevent from getting injured along the way.
It is hard to find immediate treatments outside, and that is why one of the best treatments you can do here is doing an ice compress- all you need is to find the nearest convenience store that will provide you some ice cubes. The cooling action of ice helps you slow down the flow of body fluids in your damaged muscle.
Still, to prevent yourself from getting in these situations, Guardian Athletic produced SportsGTape, a KT tape with an icy cooling action. Not only does this KT Tape grip your muscles and joints to prevent injuries on the road, but its icy cooling action will help you feel less intense pain along the way. Low temperatures help slow down the buildup of body fluids- which helps reduce swelling, relieve pain and boost muscle recovery.
Where Can I Apply KT Tape Before Cycling?
Aside from the knee, you can also apply KT tape on your ankle since this helps you cooperate with the use of the pedals. Cycling will make you know your body well since you are focused on the road and focused on what is happening on your lower body.
The other part that you can apply KT tape is your calf since these are the muscles that allow you to flex your foot forward, which plays a big role in using the pedals.
What Are the Other Things That I Can Do Before Cycling?
Cycling may be a great go-to activity to do with your friends, but it is essential to do warm-ups such as stretching and a 5-minute jog before you get to cycling. This will help your body be prepared for any potential muscle pain that it may experience along the way. Of course, never forget to have a healthy diet to prevent any injury and intense pain in the long term.
KT tapes are a great recovery and performance topical, but remember that these won't entirely save you from injuries. These tapes may give you great support for your muscles and joints, but many worse possibilities can happen to you if you are not careful on the road. Ride safe, apply a KT tape roll, and have the proper gear when cycling.