One of the most important benefits to our KYnergy technology is the significant improvement in post exercise recovery. The mechanisms by which this occurs can also help with recovery from injuries.
Independent study of the effects of infrared technology have shown that there are significant and wide-ranging medical applications for the technology, but the question is how far does that extend? Could the wearable infrared technology compliment the effects of manual therapy, providing additional physiological support to damaged tissues? To answer the question more succinctly we have to look at the goals of manual therapy. When a patient presents to a physiotherapist, osteopath, massage therapist etc, they're likely to be in some form of discomfort. Having assessed the patient, the therapist will make a judgment call on the most appropriate treatment relative to the injury, its location and type. In many cases, that treatment will involve manual therapy, which is a physical manipulation of an injured tissue or joint, using hands or specific tools such as therapy guns, scraping tools, foam rollers etc.
Time to read: 6 minutes
Key Points:
- Goals of traditional manual therapy for recovery
- How manual therapy and infrared therapy share commonalities
- Patient perspective of therapies
- KYMIRA infrared clothing compliments manual therapy
KYMIRA infrared clothing is a very effective partner to manual therapy modalities for injury recovery.
Manual therapy essentially has three main goals…
To manually assist movement of the injured site. To improve range of movement through breakdown of scar tissue. To stimulate blood flow to the injured site, speeding the healing process. There are other intangible benefits to the manual therapy such as gaining trust of a patient, the benefit of human touch when it comes to pain and perhaps even a placebo effect. For the purposes of this article though, we're going to largely stick to tangibles. Manual therapy remains one of the most important tools for therapists. There is a good evidence base in support of it as a treatment modality and therapists of different disciplines have developed their own techniques to improve patient health. The interesting area of discussion from a wearable technology standpoint is whether or not the use of infrared clothing can compliment the work of the therapist over a longer time span. The mechanisms by which infrared benefits the wearer are similar to the goals of manual therapy, so they could feasibly work together to improve recovery time and quality. Infrared and Manual Therapy Crossover One of the proven benefits of infrared clothing technology is the rapid improvement in circulation to the exposed area. By improving blood flow to tissues we improve their mobility and flexibility, reducing the incidence of pain and chances of injury, hence the importance of a warm up before any kind of sport or exercise activity. Regaining mobility and flexibility are also key elements of injury recovery and one of the major goals of manual therapy. The KYnergy technology has been consistently proven to improve localised blood flow (and therefore mobility) within 60 seconds of a person wearing KYMIRA clothing. This of course has a number of associated benefits… Increasing blood circulation Increasing tissue oxygenation Increasing the efficiency of respiration Increasing cellular metabolism Increasing energy production Relieving pain All of these are associated with the speeding of injury healing. This leads us to believe that there is a very strong likelihood that KYMIRA infrared clothing is a very effective partner to manual therapy modalities. It will replicate a number of the benefits of manual therapy, especially when paired with a therapist-led stretching and exercise programme. The use of KYMIRA infrared clothing could actually even be prescriptive, especially during rehabilitation stages. A growing number of musculoskeletal physiotherapists are now practicing in an exercise-led way anyway, with many citing that it's a more effective form of therapy and one that allows a patient some control over their own rehabilitation under professional guidance. It also enables a patient to rehabilitate in a more real-world setting, rather than feeling that they are unable to perform certain exercises whilst still under the care of a therapist. The Patient Perspective It's important to not lose sight of the person in the middle of all this. As a patient, the number one goal is to be pain free – the course taken to reach that outcome is less important than the outcome itself. From a patient perspective, using KYMIRA infrared clothing has a double benefit… It saves a lot of time – manual therapy providing theraputic benefits at the time of treatment, which can be compounded with the use of KYMIRA clothing. This reduces healing time. It's a physiological safety net - KYMIRA clothing can be worn for training and competition, so the improved tissue mobility benefits are experienced at the very time injury is most likely to re-occur. Anecdotally, the work of our medical department has shown how many patients have had various ailments effectively treated with infrared technology. In addition, some of our athletes work with us in part because our technology helps them to recover from various injuries faster and more effectively. Whilst anecdotal reports may not be scientifically robust, they are too powerful to be ignored. Can KYMIRA Clothing Compliment Manual Therapy? Conclusion When you look at the goals of manual therapy and compare them to the known and proven benefits of KYMIRA infrared technology, the conclusion is that yes, the clothing can certainly compliment manual therapy. It would be remiss to suggest it could replace it altogether and we'd never make that claim, but it certainly will provide a perfect partner to manual therapy and will help to reduce the time taken to recover from injury. When used in conjunction with a skilled therapist, it will certainly help to reduce the time taken to recover from injury and possibly even prevent future re-occurrence of injuries. It's as passive a treatment as you can get away with, in that you simply wear the clothing and the technology does the rest. If you are a therapist or even someone who has suffered with injuries in the past, KYMIRA infrared technology will certainly help you achieve your injury-recovery goals! To learn more about KYMIRA technology and see our range, visit KYMIRA Sport .Hear Recovery Stories of how KYMIRA has Supported Athletes
Carl Vidgen
"In the latter part of 2017 I suffered an Achilles tendon injury which left me unable to compete or train for triathlons. This is where the KYMIRA Infrared compression socks aided my recovery. The design and technology supported my calf muscle and Achilles tendon meaning I returned to cycling much quicker than first diagnosed. Taking weeks off my original recovery time."
Scott Beaumont
"After a perfect start to the season when I won the first BMX National, unfortunately round 2 I had a huge crash and broke my left arm. KYMIRA has been absolutely invaluable to my recovery. The IR50 long sleeve top promotes blood circulation, increases oxygenation of the blood, helps remove lactic acid and it also helps reduce aches and pains. Wearing the IR50 top made a huge difference, after just 7 weeks in recovery I went on to win round 3 of the British Fullcross Mountain Bike series. Thank you KYMIRA".
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