Giveaway: One of My Favorite Things: KT Tape

One of my favorite things that has helped me recover from my shin splints has been KT Tape. I tried the original tape back in October when my left leg first started acting up and it was constant use of it that helped it finally start to feel better.

My favorite way to tape for my shin splints!

My favorite way to tape for my shin splints!

Then I discovered the PRO version of their tape, and it’s WONDERFUL. I still use it occasionally whenever my shin splints act up. I’ve had to try to pry it off my legs the day before graduation a couple of weeks ago. I love that they offer a variety of colors (I’m a big fan of the purple and the pink!) as well as a beige option if you don’t want it to be as noticeable.

PRO_carryingcase3

The empty cases make great storage containers too–I keep my pointe shoe accessories–toe pads and more!–in them

The one thing about KT Tape is that you have absolutely careful as to how you apply it. It’s taken awhile to master it, but once you do, it works REALLY well. You have to make sure you place it carefully and do not touch the sticky sides. Another key tip (one that I’ve struggled with) is to make sure you lay the ends down with NO stretch (they’re attached to the paper backing with a 10% stretch–so be careful).

Other tips that have worked for me including using a blow dryer to activate the adhesive (being careful not to burn yourself!) and sleeping with a sock over a foot application (usually a compression sock) to make sure it sticks down. I first gave this a shot after I put tights on over some slightly peeling tape–when I got home the tape was stuck back down!

For more tips, check out this post from KTTape.

The wonderful people at KT Tape have offered to give one free roll to one of my readers, so make sure you enter the giveaway here!

I was not paid for my review.  The opinions contained in this review are mine and based on my experience, and do not reflect the opinions of KT Tape or anyone else.

Back En Pointe!

English: A pointe shoe, showing the elastic ba...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s taken me forever to get there…but yesterday I took my first pointe class again!

I hadn’t been in a pointe class after my first one in January when the pain in my shin started to get super intense and I had to take a fair amount of time off.

Yesterday I decided it was about time to try pointe again.

I don’t know whether it’s the running or all the stretching I’ve committed myself to over the past week (or something else entirely), but my nagging shin pain has finally started to disappear. While running hasn’t been 100% pain free, it’s been more manageable once I decided to adopt a better training plan. The pain usually disappears after running and I feel great afterwards. Ballet was a different story for a while–but this past week has been great!

Class went relatively well–except for the moment when I accidentally jumped onto pointe–OUCH! Not what you are supposed to do, I know. I was super worried that the rest of the class was going to be too advanced (pointe classes started in December, I think….) but my ballet instructor gave me different things to do when the exercises were too challenging.

I can’t wait for this super busy semester to be over so I can start going to more ballet classes!

What ballet or fitness-related accomplishments have you made recently?