It is evident that the game of golf has evolved into an athlete’s game in recent years. Much of that can be attributed to the young professionals that have been successful on the worldwide Tours. Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, are Lee Westwood are all perfect examples of players that have really incorporated physical training into their golf games. However, with increased exertion comes the opportunity for injury and fatigue. These two problems aren’t necessarily limited to the elite athletes either. Many of us, including myself, have nagging injuries that are either caused by, or are exacerbated by our golf games. RockTape, a product that I’ve been reviewing for a few weeks, was designed to assist in both injury recovery and increase athletic endurance.
Introduction to RockTape from the Company
Since I’m not very knowledgeable about training or sports injuries, I did some research on RockTape’s website and thought it would be useful to THP’s readers.
RockTape is a special kind of tape known as kinesiology tape. First used by acupuncturists and chiropractors in Japan, today kinesiology tape is used by practitioners throughout the world to treat injuries and improve sports performance.
While we can’t turn a 5 hour marathoner into a 3 hour runner, we do have methods to help you break the 3 hour barrier if you’re already close. When applied properly, Rocktape can help athletes improve form and decrease fatigue through better blood flow. These are the two most critical aspects of increasing performance in almost any sport.
What does it do?
- Rocktape is a kinesiology tape and is fantastic for treating common sports injuries like shin splints, plantars and runner’s knee. Rocktape also can increase endurance by promoting blood flow during an athletic event.
How does it work?
- When applied properly, ROCKTAPE lifts the skin away from the muscle, which promotes blood flow. Faster blood flow means more oxygen and more lymph drainage, which helps remove Lactic Acid.
Is it difficult to apply?
- Not at all. If you can apply tape, you can apply ROCKTAPE. There are instructions in every box and more than a dozen HD instructional videos can be viewed here.
How long will it last?
- ROCKTAPE can be worn up to 5 days. It is 100% organic cotton and can be worn while swimming or in the shower.
Package Contents and a General Description
In all honesty, I really had no idea what I was opening up when I saw the small package I received. Inside the box was a roll of brightly colored tape and a tightly-folded instructional brochure. The RockTape itself felt like a smooth fabric rather than actual tape. It was very thin and stretched easily. After a little research on the website, I learned that there are literally dozens of colors, designs, and sizes available to choose from. Sports teams or organizations can also have their logo added to the RockTape for a little personalization if they are buying larger quantities.
The brochure gave some very detailed pictures and instructions of how, when, and why to apply RockTape for various purposes. As I mentioned, my knowledge was limited, so this was really helpful to me. I concentrated a little more on the applications for injuries as first, but over time I delved into the performance uses as well.
The Confessions of an Unfit Golfer
I’m not really an athletic guy. The majority of the exercise I get is walking my golf course two times a week. However, I still have a number of nagging injuries that do hamper my golf game, including meniscus tears in both knees, wrist pain, and lower back pain. My lower body also tends to fatigue from walking my hilly course. This is something that I often blame for poor shots late in my round, whether or not that is truly the case. RockTape claims to be useful for all of these problems, so I was eager to see if it helped me at all.
Application
I tested RockTape for both the injury treatment properties and performance enhancement.
Some of my worst pain in recent weeks has come from my right knee, so I decided to try RockTape there first. The application instructions were pretty simple to follow and involved a couple cuts with my scissors. You can see how I did it in the pictures below. The application was simple, the RockTape stretched easily, and it stuck well to my leg.
The second application I chose was for endurance in the hopes that I could walk a round of golf without as much fatigue in my legs, specifically the quadriceps muscles. I’m going to include a video I found on the RockTape website to explain it. There are dozens of videos there with instructions for various ailments and endurance applications.
Performance – Injury Treatment
First of all, this is a tough call for me to make. I can manage the pain in my knees through rest and medication, but according to my doctor, there really isn’t anything outside of surgery that is going to cure them completely. I will say that I noticed some of my pain diminish over time while wearing RockTape, but that’s also a typical scenario when I rest the knee. Regardless of my indecision, I did notice a few things. First, the RockTape remained firmly stuck to my leg through a night’s sleep, a shower, and a day of work. Secondly, it wasn’t uncomfortable. It stretched enough that I didn’t feel like it was constricting me in any way. Lastly, my knee felt warm to the touch. I have no clue if that’s good or bad, or even related to the RockTape, but it was something I observed while wearing it.
Performance – Endurance
This was extremely interesting to me. There is science that backs up these claims and many elite athletes, trainers, and physical therapists currently use RockTape or other similar products. I actually had a couple rounds that I finished out pretty well while testing this product and leg fatigue didn’t seem to bother me as much. I can’t definitively say if it was a product of the RockTape, a placebo effect, or some other factor, but it was an honest observation I had. I plan to continue using the product for this purpose in the immediate future.
Final Thoughts
A standard roll of RockTape costs around $20 when purchased directly from the company. According to the company, this should cover 10-20 applications. Depending on your needs, this may or may not be a good value. The science behind RockTape is certainly out there for you to read, so I’ll save my final comments for the quality of the actual product. As I noted, the application was quite easy and the company provides a huge amount of information to guide their customers. In addition, it was comfortable to wear and stayed in place, even after activity, showering, and sleeping. The variety of designs and colors also makes it a fun way to throw a little personalization into the mix. For more information, including some other interesting products from the company, you can head over to www.RockTape.com. As always, thanks for reading a good luck on the course.
Ryan H.
Nice review, I have never head of rock tape but have seen it used. It’s is an interesting aid to say the least. But if it can take care of pain and increase endurance, even if temporary, it sounds like a solid investment.
Great review Hawk, I saw this type of “tape” alot while watching the Olympics. I have some knee problems, I may look into this when I walk 18.
Interesting! I’m not sure whether or not this is for me. I also tire out at the end of a round, but I’m not in good shape at all. I certainly would be willing to at least try it once or twice.
Nice job Ryan. I have never heard of this stuff, but have seen some of it used on TV.
This was a really good read Ryan! I saw David Kelly using kinesiology tape during the Morgan Cup, but it was a different brand. After hearing him explain the benefits, it definitely made sense to utilize if your body needs it.
Getting back into working out and I have some knee/shoulder issues that may require some attention, thanks for bringing this to our attention and letting us know how the product worked firsthand to you. Impressive that it performed overnight & through a shower.
The Rock Tape sounds and looks alot like KT tape which I used very frequently during my running days. These technologies really to wonders for helping aid in recover and preventing injuries. Great to see some more outside the box things reviewed here, well done Ryan.
Very interesting review Ryan. It sounded as though RockTape may have assisted you during your round, like you say it could have been the placebo effect. It will be interesting to check in with you at a later date to see if in fact there’s something to this product.
Interesting stuff, good review Ryan. Not something I’d be inclined to use, but I’m glad it gave you good results.
This product has caught my attention the last few months. I am sure testing this is tough because it can be hard to distinguish the mental and physical aspect when it is not major. I enjoyed the article Ryan and would probably grab a roll to try out if I found one on sale.
Good write-up Hawk. Never really looked into products like this, but will keep it in mind. Interesting stuff.
I never know if this stuff really works. It’d be great if it’d help with my shin splints from tennis.
Very interesting, I know it’s been used in other sports. I’ve always wondered how these items compared to ion and magnetic type products.
I’ve been looking at this for a little while as David sent me a video on the KT Tape product. Haven’t pulled the trigger yet, as my tennis elbow has improved with a month of rest and continued stretching exercises. I will probably try one of the products if the pain comes back next golf season.
Wonder if this would be good for my poor blisters from my new shoes or when I run 1/2 marathons. My skin (especially on my feet) is so sensitive. I need extra protection, and Bandaids suck for that.
Nice review man! This tape is very beneficial for certain types of injuries usually surrounding joints. Very cool that you are using it for golf.
I use KT Tape because of the colors but kinesiology tape seems to work pretty well for me. Wrist worked but as great as it was for my shoulder it also took a bit of skin with it lol
nice review Ryan.
i’ve always seen NBA players and Olympians wearing this tape and wondered how it actually worked.
i think this would be great for my knee and back, when walking during rounds.
Great Review, this is something I’ve never considered but it looks simple and useful. I may look into it
Very intriguing product for sure, most of the time I’ll just pop some Aleve and deal with it but if there is a product out there like this, why not check it out. Great work on the review!
Awesome review I have really been interested in this stuff since it came on to the scene a couple years ago.
Great Review Ryan. I have used a similar product to great effect
I used a similar product a few years back for my lower back and it seemed to help. Like you said, I don’t know if it was the placebo effect or not, and did not use it on a continuous enough basis to see. Still, very interesting, and as always, a well written review.
There is hardly any independent research at all on Rocktape and similar products. The few trials and tests conducted are at best inconclusive. http://med.rocktape.com/wp-content/uploads/rocktape-clinical-test.pdf
I actually think an article on the subject that explains what it is how they claim that it works is better than a “review”.
The placebo effect is extreme in a case like this. Very similar to products like ion and magnetic wrist bands.
I’ve always wondered about products like these….does it work or does it make you ‘think’ that it’s working? Good review man!
Really good write-up Ryan! I’ve seen this used by track & field, basketball, and golf athletes (Yani Seng). I wonder how it would work for lower back pain?
I have occasionally used elastic wraps for my elbows and wrists with some success. I don’t see why this wouldn’t help somewhat as well.
Also, the price sounds reasonable.
Thanks!
This product sounds very close if not the same exact product as kinesiotape, just under a different manufactures name. The benefits of kinesiotaping have been shown by athletes at all levels and most recently at the Olympic Games. While a single review of this product will have some “placebo effect” like Christian stated in an earlier post, it is not in the same category as ion or magnetic items. Taping parallel or perpendicular to specific muscle fibers will change the recruitment of those muscle groups and cause them to work more effectively in the whole body’s movement pattern. When the groups of muscles are all working together, less fatigue and stress will occur in the muscles being overworked by muscle imbalances, flexibility issues etc. So not as much placebo factor as some may think; even though I will admit that I have not done any searches in peer reviewed medical publications on this subject.
I had never heard of Rock Tape or anything like it, very interesting product and great review Ryan, I look forward to hearing long term thoughts on this product.
I could use some of this on my sometimes-troublesome shoulder. Will look for it.
Has anyone attempted to utilize this on the wrists? I wouldn’t think it would be a good option due to the inverse flex, but might just give it a shot.
My PT used kinesiology tape on me when I had two herniated discs. It definitely helped. I’ve been using athletic tape on my foot due to planters fasciitis and it really helps get me through a round of golf. This sounds even better, especially if it will stay on up to 5 days.
Nice write up! I see a purchase of this tape in my future before my next big guys trip, which involves a lot of walking.