Effective use of taping in polo sport
(Andreas Krüger MD @Poloplus10.com)
Since the European Football Championship in 2012 at the latest, we have known what tape is in sport. Muscles tensed to the max, a petrified gaze - the pose of Mario Balotelli after his 2-0 victory over Germany in the semi-finals. Bare perfectly trained upper body. This winner pose has immediately etched itself into the collective memory of European Championship spectators worldwide. But how much effect is really hidden in these audience-effective, glued-on, brightly coloured tapes? More power, less pain, more precision and faster recovery after exhausting competitions?
The success of this method has lasted for over 30 years. In 1979, the Japanese Dr. Kenzo Kase had the brilliant pioneering idea of supporting his chiropractic treatment with elastic cotton tapes and prolonging its effect. Dr. Kase began his tape therapy for sumo wrestlers using skin-coloured adhesive tapes that were modelled on the texture of the skin. The finely woven, breathable and highly elastic cotton is glued with tension to affected parts of the body. This is intended to cause additional displacement of the skin layers, as the skin is slightly lifted by the movement and the pressure on the pain receptors in the lower skin layer is reduced. The visually appealing application technique is intended to trigger a stimulating effect on the muscles. According to the manufacturer (whose names are manifold), an additional effect of the increased blood circulation and the resulting supported drainage of lymph fluid are the result and serve for better regeneration.
The study situation in the electronic medical world literature (Pubmed) currently shows no uniformly significant results regarding the sustained effect of different tape variants. There are, however, case reports that have demonstrated the tendency for improvements in strength and pain in athletes of different colours.
In the sport of polo, injuries to the muscles and the tendons and ligaments of the beating arm regularly occur due to excessive strain. Punches of the opponent in hot duels as well as the frequent falls leave painful injuries. Also back problems during the powerful blows in an otherwise unfamiliar position over the neck of the pony take their toll due to the maximum strain on the body. Within a tournament, the elastic tapes can be applied to stabilize the shoulder and the player can continue to play without shoulder dislocation. Even after the stroke on the thumb of the batting arm, the swelling can be supported by applying the tape in a lymph drainage stimulating way. In the last chukker, when strength becomes the decisive factor, upper arm or forearm taping can influence the player's condition. A stabilising tape can also be helpful in the case of acute knee injuries.
Polo player Andres "Lala" Laplacette is delighted with the effect of the tapes: "I tried the tapes for the first time at the Arena Polo World Cup Azerbaijan in Baku. There I had injured my back very painfully. Before that, I had seen similar tapes with other athletes and wondered if they could help me. I tried the tapes and felt relieved. It was as if someone was holding my back muscles. Additionally, they were warmed by the tapes. I could continue the game without any problems. I was overjoyed because being in Baku for the first polo tournament was a great opportunity for all of us. On the last day of the tournament, Dr. Krüger placed a tape on my arm, because I was hurting all over. I would have loved to have the tape all over my body!"
Tapes also helped Tito Gaudenzi (polo player) a lot: "In polo we are exposed to many abrupt and extreme movements. It's the nature of the sport: the speed, the riding, the playing. Especially the back and shoulders suffer from it. Tapes can quickly improve these problems. Applied before the game, they stabilize and improve mobility. At one of my last tournaments in Baku, I had severe pain in my lumbar region from a previous injury. Dr. Andreas Krüger helped me to get fit again for the match. The right work-out before the match and especially the correct taping allowed me to continue fighting. I can highly recommend taping for all kinds of sports. It's a simple and yet very effective solution."
So the conclusion is that modern science cannot prove it - but are Mario Balotelli, Serena Williams and David Beckham wrong? In any case, they have achieved their sporting achievements.
Summarized advantages of taping
Muscle activation
Restoration of the injury
Edema control (reduction of swelling)
Posture correction
Pregnancy support
Support for sporting and athletic performance
