Gregory F. Caffiero is an occupational therapist with a focus in hand therapy. A certified hand therapist, Gregory Caffiero is the clinic manager at Maui Hand Therapy LLC, where he provides care to people with hand, wrist, and arm conditions and injuries. One of the therapies the clinic administers is Kinesio tape to reduce edema (swelling) in the hands.
Kinesio tape is a powerful therapy used by athletes to relieve pain and swelling. It is the long stripes of colored tape you often see on the arms, shoulders, and legs of athletes. The tape is flexible and latex free. It is applied onto the skin of an injured area to promote localized circulation through the circulatory and lymphatic systems. Both of these promote healing.
The circulatory system comprises blood vessels that circulate blood throughout the body, while the lymphatic system comprises lymph vessels that transport lymphatic fluid throughout the body. Blood nourishes organs and tissues with oxygen and nutrients, while the lymphatic system removes cellular debris, toxins, and excess fluids from these tissues.
When a person is injured, the area of the injury typically becomes inflamed and is sometimes painful. A therapist can apply Kinesio tape on the injured area to lift the skin, creating a zone of negative pressure in the underlying surface. This causes blood and lymph vessels in the area to dilate, pooling blood and lymphatic fluid. The fresh blood oxygenates and nourishes tissues to promote healing while the lymphatic fluid removes damaged cells. When they are removed, swelling and pain are reduced.
