Trying kinesiology tape

When I stepped clumsily on a tree root during my last run in the Netherlands, I did something unpleasant to my ankle, but to my relief, it wasn't so bad I couldn't just keep running. I was just very careful with tree roots from then on!

It was only a few days away from a major trail and fell run, so that was a bit of a worry. It is easy to sprain your ankle during one of those. And before that, there would be a Thursday training. I really wanted to do that, only to see if my angle would be up for the race. But did want to take precautions.

I sprained my ankles a lot in my youth. My standard solution to that was a bandage. But bandages are quite bulky, and I didn't think it would be comfortable have a bandage in your running shoes. But people have invented other things since; nowadays, mild sports injuries like that tend to be sorted with tape. And to be more specific: kinesiology tape. I figured I'd give that a go.

On the way home from the Netherlands I popped by a chemist and bought some. And I taped myself up on the Thursday morning. It seems you can wear the stuff quite long, because it breathes, and then I could use the day to feel if I figured I'd need more support.

The artwork

I decided I could do with a little bit more before running, so in the office I added a bit of tape. And then I went! And the run itself again merits its own blog post, but an evaluation of the tape is: it's not uncomfortable to have this addition in your shoe, and I came out of the run unscathed. And the tape came off without issue. That matters too...

Didn’t look so elegant anymore afterwards

I consider this a success! I will never know to what extent this was due to the tape and to what extent it was just me, but that's okay. I had several instances where I took a bit of a knock with my left foot. But clearly, no further damage was done. I think I am ready for that race. But I will be taped up again!