Gold, silver and bronze weren’t the only colors decorating Beijing Olympians. Some athletes wore Kinesio Tex Tape in strips of pink, blue and black. This adhesive is popular because it speeds healing without limiting range of motion. The tape pulls up the skin slightly, allowing more blood to flow to the injured area. Below are methods for four injuries. The tape can last five days, even in the shower.

Achilles Tendinitis

Protect the tendon from overuse.

1. Cut a piece of Kinesio tape to reach from the top of your calf muscle to the bottom of your heel.

2. Flex your foot. With the tape backing still on, place one end of the strip on the bottom of your heel. Run your thumb up the tape to the top of your Achilles tendon (a few centimetres above your ankle).

3. Starting at the top of the tape, cut the strip down the middle to the spot your thumb marked.

4. Remove the backing from the uncut portion of the tape. Place the tape on the bottom of your heel and, keeping your ankle flexed, stretch the tape as you lay it over your Achilles tendon. Smooth the edges down over your Achilles.

5. One at a time, remove the backing from the cut portions of the tape and place it (don’t stretch it) over the outer and inner calf muscle to form a ‘V’.

Plantar Fasciitis

Support the foot while relieving pain.

1. Cut a piece of tape long enough to reach from the back of your heel to just below your toes on the ball of your foot. Don’t remove the backing.

2. Cut the tape into four ‘fingers,’ leaving a few centimetres on one end uncut so that it covers your heel.

3. Cut another piece of tape long enough to cover the ball of your foot and round the edges.

4. Peel off the backing of the uncut tape and place it on the back of your heel. Flex your ankle and pull your toes up with one hand. Peel off the fingers one at a time and place them evenly along the bottom of your foot without stretching the tape. Peel the backing off the second strip and place it across the ball of your foot to anchor the fingers.

Runner’s Knee

Decrease stress on the patellar tendon.

1. Cut 10cm of tape and remove the backing.

2. Holding the ends of the tape in both hands, stretch the middle of the tape and place it just below your kneecap – over your patellar tendon.

3. Smooth the ends of the tape onto your skin.

Shinsplints

Take the pressure off irritated shins.

1. Cut a piece of tape about 30 to 45 centimetres long, round all the edges and remove the backing.

2. Flex your foot. Place one end of the tape on the top of your foot, below your pinky toe. Wrap the tape under your foot, across your arch at the highest point and around to the top of your foot. Then bring the tape up the front of your shin.

3. Cut 15cm of insulating tape (which gives more support to the arch) and trim it to 4cm wide.

4. Place one end of the tape on top of the Kinesio tape on the outside of your foot, flex your foot, and pull the tape firmly over your arch.