You don't have to be a health expert to know that wellness is an ever-evolving field. But ask people who are dedicated to understanding the intricate workings of the human body — they are even more aware that the study of movement has far-reaching implications in numerous aspects of life. Kinesiology explores how physical activity affects our health by delving into the mechanics and physiology that govern our actions, from exercise to recovery.
Understanding Kinesiology
Kinesiology is a branch of science that studies human movement, how exercise impacts health, and what activities affect the quality of life. Kinesiology has evolved to surpass the traditional confines of exercise science, extending to areas like sports performance enhancement, rehabilitation, and even human behavior in various environments. By combining theoretical knowledge with practical applications, kinesiologists contribute to refining training methods, designing therapeutic interventions, and promoting holistic approaches to physical and mental health.
Kinesiology has garnered substantial attention in recent years in the realm of recovery, especially from sports-related injuries and breakdowns. Utilizing their understanding of human movement, experts in kinesiology have found new ways to optimize rehabilitation programs and expedite recovery timelines. Beyond injury healing, the science also plays a vital role in addressing mobility impairments and even chronic pain.
Those who study kinesiology may pursue jobs as athletic directors, physical therapists, nutritionists, sports psychologists, physicians, or a wide range of other careers. However, even casual athletes — from 5K runners to Zumba enthusiasts — can benefit from a working knowledge of kinesiology to know how to best train and heal their bodies.
Kinesiology and Recovery
Kinesiology principles are applied to enhance recovery by creating personalized plans for each athlete. Kinesiologists use sophisticated tools and techniques to assess an individual's posture, range of motion, muscular imbalances, and more to identify faulty movement patterns that can pinpoint the cause of injury and strengthen these areas. With targeted interventions such as corrective exercises and movement re-education, these experts can optimize biomechanics to promote pain-free movement.
If you've watched a major sporting event like the Olympics, you may have noticed some athletes with tape on their bodies. Kinesiology tapes, often known as "K-Tape," has gained popularity in recent years for those seeking relief from various musculoskeletal conditions. When applied correctly, the kinesiology tape provides support to muscles and joints without restricting the range of motion, allowing athletes to find relief while performing at their best.
What Kinesiology Tape Does
Muscular Support
The tape gently lifts the skin, creating space between the muscle and the fascia to help reduce pressure on inflamed or injured muscles.
Pain Reduction
K-Tape can assist in reducing pain by promoting blood flow to the area and stimulating sensory receptors.
Lymphatic Drainage
Kinesiology taping can aid in lymphatic drainage, reducing swelling in overused muscles.
Postural Correction
Kinesiology tape can be applied to support proper posture, reminding the body to maintain optimal position during movement.
Kinesiology and Compression Gear
Compression workout gear is growing in popularity among athletes and kinesiologists for its many benefits: enhanced muscle support, reduced muscle fatigue, improved blood circulation, and support while maintaining. Following principles used in kinesiology, compression gear helps prevent muscle strain during warm-up, maximizes muscle stability during peak training to improve performance, and enhances blood circulation to reduce distress to accelerate recovery following a workout.
CW-X features patented EXO-WEB™technology that mimics kinesiology taping, creating an exoskeletal support system that improves biomechanics during motion. No matter what type of sport or exercise, compression apparel can help to push your workout to the next level while aiding in recovery.
Tips for Using Compression Gear for Recovery
Compression apparel — which is tight but should not cut off circulation or reduce full range of motion — can be worn after exercise to assist with the body's healing process. As known to kinesiology experts, by improving blood flow and encouraging fluid movement, waste products from exercise are removed at a quicker pace — and when muscles will get more oxygen, they recover more quickly without as much fatigue. Compression also helps decrease swelling, promoting faster healing that's also less painful and reducing the chance of having to skip a workout for an injury or extra recovery time.
Compression clothing is a vital part of a competitor's closet. With a range of options to suit every athlete, you can get all-around coverage or focus on a specific area, such as an injury point.
Sleeves
Joints — knees, elbows, ankles, and shoulders, for example — go through extra stress during physical activity, and similar to kinesiology taping, compression sleeves can assist in stabilizing these areas (but without the worst part: ripping off the tape at the end of the day). Those recovering from injuries may add a sleeve to their gear, but these pieces can also be used by anyone as a support and body temperature regulator.
Compression Shorts and Tights
From shorts to full-length options, compression tights have quite a few benefits for athletes beyond muscle support: they prevent chafing, regulate body temperature, and wick moisture.
Kinesiology plays a pivotal role in achieving physical greatness, both in performance and recovery. Compression gear, designed with the fundamental ideas of kinesiology in mind, proves to be a valuable aid, especially when it comes to healing after an intense sweat session. From your warm-up to your recovery period, no other clothing can improve your game like this. CW-X has a range of products for both men and women with options that fit any fitness goal. From athletes seeking peak performance to individuals doing at-home workouts and striving for a pain-free life, using compression technology can enhance wellness by following tips and tricks relied on by experts in the field.