You can often see that volleyball players, indoor and outdoor alike, tape their shoulders with a strange looking tape. It is usually called Kinesio Tape and it is a powerful tool that you can use as well …
In this article, I explain why and how you should tape your shoulders for volleyball depending on whether you are doing it for stress relief or for injury prevention/recovery.
Why do volleyball players tape their shoulders?
The Kinesio tape (Check it Here at Amazon) is not like the usual tape you see beach volleyball players tape their fingers with. It is a medical kind of tape that has many healing properties.
The first reason why volleyball players tape their shoulders is because it can lift the skin of the volleyball player and improve the blood flow.
The tape also helps with inflammation and pain. The catch is, however here that the Kinesio tape sometimes needs to be put on by a certified individual, who knows what he is doing exactly.
(Step-by-Step) Taping your shoulder for volleyball
I have mentioned already that the kinesio tape is usually applied by a certified professional. However there is a way in which you can apply the tape by yourself.
First it is good to know that the tape is made out of stretchy breathable cotton, and has the thickness of the human skin, which makes it pretty light.
In order to take the kinesio tape by yourself you will first have to prepare your skin, clean it and dry it. Make sure to remove any excess hair.
Cut the tape and remove the backing. Cut an appropriate length of tape and round the edges. If you are applying tension to a spot on the body, remember to cut the tape slightly shorter, than the sport where you are going to apply it.
Tear the backing and leave 2-4cm on each end for anchors. Create a tear on each side of the backing and then pull in order to separate the two pieces while keeping the backing on the tape.
Remove the backing and apply the tape on the anchor parts. After applying it, rub the tape to activate the adhesive, do not touch the adhesive or it will not stick as well.
Apply the entire tape with desired tension. The point here is to watch out on how long you stretch the tape. 25-50% is optimal if you want full effect. After applying the tape, rub it as you did with the anchor in order to activate the adhesive.
If your skin gets itchy or red, that is irritated from the tape, that means that you are allergic to the adhesive, and it would be best if you remove it as soon as possible.
Does taping your shoulder impact any volleyball moves?
No, taping your shoulders with Kinesio tape cannot impact any of your moves. This seems a little bit strange, but there is a good answer why this is the case.
Kinesio tape is made out of stretchy breathable cotton that is thick as human skin, meaning that it is very light and the players usually do not notice it when they are wearing it.
The Kiensio tape is intended to be that light, not to interfere players moves. Unlike regular tape, that could interfere in the gameplay, Kinesio tape is a different story.
When the tape was being designed, the goal was to make it as light as possible, with the intention of benefiting the player, without any obstructions to his gameplay.
Finally, I would even say that taping shoulders is a reliable way to promote your volleyball upper body strenght!
What is special about KT tapes?
Kinesio tapes are maybe the best things volleyball players can use to enhance their performance. They are present in every sport and are a great and drug-free way of treating old and healing medical problems.
Kinesio tapes are present in almost all sports, not just volleyball.
We have mentioned that Kinesio tapes are thick as human skin is, meaning that they are light and virtually unnoticeable when being worn. This means that they cannot interfere in the players gameplay. That is their first advantage.
The second thing that makes them special is that they have a purely medical purpose which makes them a valuable ally.
They are designed to basically lift the skin a little bit when applied to the spot that needs treatment. This lifting of the skin enables them to increase the blood flow and regulate it.
They are usually applied on the spots that were injured before and that need treatment. Those spots are usually not open wounds, but sore and hurt muscles, and places on the skin that are easily inflamed.
Can tapes help fix your shoulders?
Yes, they can help you with your injuries. Let us say for example that you have injured your shoulder to the point that it sores up and also bruises appear on the place of injury.
Kinesio tape comes into play here. When applied they need some time to start working on your shoulder.
Depending on your injury there can be different symptoms. There can be those that just swell up, there can be bruises, and of course both.
The Kinesio tape can help with all of these symptoms, simply increasing the blood flow.
Swelling is caused when the body has sustained an injury, in our case the shoulder. It represents a buildup of fluids that can increase over time. Kinesio tape can help ease the swelling.
This does not mean however that the blood vessels can be fixed by the Kinesio tape, for that it takes time, the Kinesio tape just takes the pressure away from the blood vessels.
It is important to know that the Kinesio tapes do not always succeed. They however help in 80% or more, of the cases that they are applied in.
How can tapes help other Body parts for volleyball?
Kinesio tapes are not just used for shoulders, they can be used on the entire body.
The parts where Kinesio tapes are usually applied are the areas of the joints and the areas around them.
Kinesio tapes can be cut in several smaller tapes, with a large areas that is connecting them, making it more effective when sticking.
The areas that are cut, that is, the side areas are usually used to cover the areas around the joint. Covering the areas around the joints is important because the tapes regulate the blood flow and help it circulate more efficiently.
The tapes work by the same principle wherever they are applied. They help with the circulation, inflammation and pain.
Kinesio tapes can be applied on the shoulders, the wrists, the knees and the regions around them, the ankles and the thighs, making them ideal for players that have injuries that need treatment all over the world.
Final Thoughts …
I don’t recommend always taping your shoulders. It is better to only do it in case you are feeling that your shoulders are very stressed out.
Also, do it if you are about to start an intense training session where you already know that you are going to focus mostly on moves that involve heavily your shoulders.
To learn more about this topic then I highly invite you to lean more about the best practices to relieve volleyball soreness!