Difference between revisions of "Taping"

Revision as of 06:51, 10 January 2011

To understand taping to prevent blisters, you should read the book Book Review – Fixing Your Feet. This page is my personal experience with taping as an augmentation to that book.

1 Tapes

• Micropore^[1] This is my default tape, partly because I have been using Micropore from my earliest memories due to my skin condition. Micropore is very thin, smooth and inflexible, but not very sticky, so you need to use it with an adhesive promoter. The biggest problem with Micropore is that it is not very durable. I find it will last well enough for a race, but I like to tape a day or two ahead of time to make sure the tape is right, and it can suffer wear in the mean time.
• Duct Tape I do not get on well with duct tape, as it is not breathable, so the skin tends to become saturated underneath. Like Micropore, you need to use it with an adhesive promoter. Watch the edges, as they tend to catch and then the tape then rolls up. I have used Micropore on the edges, with some success.
• Leukotape P ^[2] This is thicker, slightly rough textured, inflexible tape. It works very well when you need something more robust than Micropore.

2 Adhesive Promoter

• Friar's Balsam^[3] Also known as Tincture of Benzoin, this helps tapes stick much better. I find it important to apply the balsam to the area where the tape is going to be placed; If you miss a spot, then the tape will tend to lift up in that spot. If you over apply it, you can remove the excess with rubbing alcohol or smother it with talcum powder.
• Mastisol^[4] This is seems to work better than Friar's Balsam – it is claimed to be 7-10 times sticker. I'm not sure if that is true, but it does work remarkably well. Easy to apply, but expensive!

3 General Taping Tips

• Practice taping for your training runs – remember The Golden Rule of Racing
• Tape a couple of days before the race to check that the taping is working well.
• Remember your feet may swell so avoid taping too tightly.
• If you get a blister anyway, taping can make things worse. I've had blisters spread by the pressure from the tape, and it is also harder to fix a blister under tape.
• Taping should be a last resort; try to fix the underlying problem first.

4 Also See

• Blister Prevention
• Popping Blisters
• Blister Prevention and Socks
• Toughening Feet

5 References

1. ↑ http://www.zombierunner.com/store/categories/foot_care/tapes/product6.html Micropore at Zombie Runner
2. ↑ http://www.zombierunner.com/store/categories/foot_care/tapes/product967.html Leukotape P at Zombie Runner
3. ↑ http://www.zombierunner.com/store/categories/foot_care/adhesives/product125.html Friar's Balsam/Tinture of Benzoin at Zombie Runner
4. ↑ http://www.zombierunner.com/store/categories/foot_care/adhesives/product1026.html Mastisol at Zombie Runner