Taping Certification Overview

What is Kinesiology Taping?

The standard white athletic tape that athletes and trainers have used for decades is made from stiff cotton that can help immobilize or stabilize an injured body part. Kinesio tape, however, has polymer elastic strands woven through the cotton, so the tape is flexible and doesn’t impede range of motion when it’s applied. Therefore, unlike athletic tape or leukotape, it can stretch/elongate longitudinally (2-way stretch) about 140-180% of it’s resting length and can be applied in a variety of ways to assist patients if progressing with their recovery. Despite its flexibility, kinesiology tape has been theorized to stabilize muscles and give the athlete awareness of muscle engagement, known as proprioception. In addition, there are some claims that application of the tape serves to lift the skin away from the muscle, which is supposed to help reduce swelling and promote blood flow to the muscle. However, research has failed to back these claims—or at least most of them. Several systematic reviews have looked at the effectiveness of kinesiology taping and found that there may be some moderate benefits for immediate musculoskeletal pain by using kinesiology tape. Therefore, any benefits that do exist are almost certainly caused by novel sensory input, not by biomechanical tuning. Basically, when you tape people, they can feel it. A cat knows when it has tape stuck to its paw, and so does a human! By reducing or mitigating pain or sensory input, we can affect changes in the “output” or motor control. Kinesiology taping may assist in the effectiveness of out rehabilitative exercise program.

What is Dynamic Taping®

While the theories and methods of the use of kinesiology tape are variable, Dynamic Tape® is designed to work mechanically – creating altered movement patterns, load absorption, and mechanical assistance to movement. Tissues do not fail because of pain – they fail because of overload. The inability to adequately manage or dissipate load is implicated in injury and often leads to compensatory movement strategies. Dynamic tape is also a flexible tape made out of a synthetic stretch nylon and lycra, allowing it to stretch in all directions (4-way stretch) over 200% of its resting length. While most tapes often restrict motion, dynamic taping allows the tape to conform to the body and therefore able to move in complex three-dimensional movements. When used in this manner, dynamic tape uses strong elastic energy to absorb load to decelerate movement (much like a bungee cord decelerates a jumper). Energy is then stored in the form of elastic potential energy and reinjected as kinetic energy once muscle shortening commences. In this way, the dynamic tape helps with weak, injured, and fatigued muscles. Therefore, the aims and the properties of dynamic tape are completely different to kinesiology tapes. While there may still be pain relief with application, the strong elastic resistance and recoil combined with 200% stretch resists and assists in deceleration. The stored energy can then assist motion without limiting range of motion essential for performance.

Why the Human Movement System Taping Certification?

This certification provides the participant with a certification in both Kinesiology Taping as well as Dynamic Taping® (also known as Biomechanical taping®). The basic principles, history, and theories for these two different taping modalities will be covered as well as several different techniques for a variety of movement dysfunctions and impairments. From pain control to facilitation of proper movement patterns, you will use this certification on a regular basis with a wide range of patients and clients.

Course info: Description | Objectives | Outline

How do I become certified in Kinesiology & Biomechanical Dynamic Taping?

Participants who successfully complete the Scrape, Tape, and Move: Foundation to Function Course and pass both the Taping practical and written exam will be awarded with certifications in kinesiology and biomechanical  Dynamic) Taping from the Academy of Human Movement.

16 Hours, 1.6 CEU’s Tuition: $645.00