There’s a bandage for every occasion these days and while they start looking the same after a while, they have subtle differences in purpose and quality.
If you’re in need of supportive tape to deal with sprains and supporting weaker joints, it’s cohesive bandages that you’ll need.
Why Cohesive Bandages are the Top Choice for Sports Therapy Use
Cohesive bandages have a set of unique properties that make them perfect for fast and easy taping of joints and muscles.
Thanks to their flexibility, you can adjust the compression and support level, something which you won’t find in many other tapes.
Cohesive bandage only adheres to itself and you can tear it by hand along its width and length. This means you don’t waste time and you don’t need scissors to hand in order to use it effectively.
The support offered by cohesive bandages is completely adaptable and works in two ways. Firstly, you can use more layers for added support without uncomfortable constriction. This will create greater support for sprains and joints.
Secondly, you can adjust the tightness with which you initially apply the tape. Lightly applying the tape enables highly-mobile joints to retain their full motion while a tighter wrap offers more restriction or compression for other injury types and even wounds.
Another huge bonus of cohesive bandages is their reusability. With many types of tape and bandages, their adhesive nature makes them difficult, if not impossible, to reuse. Cohesive bandages don’t suffer from this, even though they adhere to themselves.
As you can remove and reuse them, adjustments are easy. When you do this, the self-adhering qualities don’t diminish either making cohesive bandages, frankly, a bit magic.
What to Look out for in Cohesive Bandages
As with anything, you can buy cohesive bandages in varying levels of quality. Poor-quality cohesive bandages aren’t worth the savings as they lack the strength, stretch and durability required for most uses.
Here are a few things to look out for when choosing which cohesive bandages to buy.
-
Breathability
Look for cohesive tapes that are marked as breathable and sweat-resistant. This minimises discomfort for the wearer and allows the skin underneath to stay healthy.
-
Stretch
A good level of stretch is useful for cohesive bandages and some brands will stretch up to almost double the length of their non-stretched state.
-
Strength
Strength is a necessity when it comes to cohesive bandages as they need to be able to support at different levels of tension. Bandages have little use if they tear by accident when you apply too much load.
-
Grip
Good quality cohesive bandages should be able to grip skin exceptionally well and not slip, regardless of tension. This quality makes them effective for lots of taping applications and slippery bandages will quickly stop being useful.
-
Colours
Perhaps it’s not your first consideration but colours can be important! Many sportspeople will need to wear cohesive tape for long periods of time and having interesting colours is far better than being stuck with white. Especially as white doesn’t stay white for long.
Choosing a High-Quality Cohesive Bandage
If you’re looking for cohesive bandages for your physio practise, we carry a solid supply.
If it’s bright colours you’re on the hunt for, check out our PowerFlex range. PowerFlex is a well-known brand of cohesive bandage that is exceptionally strong and yet easy to adjust and tear by hand.
This range is ideal for sports therapy use as bandages come in various colours and lengths. They’re suitable for use during sports too thanks to their non-slip properties and comfort.
If you’re looking for clinical cohesive tape, we also have our own essential Meridius cohesive bandages. These are perfect for fast use in strapping, injury management and securing ice packs.
If you’re not sure what you need or would like more advice about different sports tapes, get in touch with a member of our team.
