KT Tape
On 3/18 during the Shamrock Shuffle ( Half, 5k, 1 miler) I hurt my knee around the third mile of the first race ( the half). The pain was so bad I could hardly even bend it. So instead of seeing a doctor and went to Mojo Running in Cranberry Twp., and purchased some KT Tape. I've only heard good things about it so I thought I would give it a try.
I followed the directions on the Youtube videos and placed the tape accordingly. I will see that I felt almost instant relief. The only issue I had was I seemed to have a hard time sticking just during normal rest even with multiple tries, which could of been how I applied it. I decided to take it off eventually and just let it rest till my next race.
On 4/1 I ran another 5k no issues at all. After the race I came home, showered, and on way back to my room the pain came back. I instantly reapplied the KT Tape, and the next day on 4/2 I ran another 5k since the pain was only minimal. This time I ran for the first time with the KT tape on. I got through the whole 5k with out any problems.
I will say that from now till next race I will keep using the KT Tape and during the race to see if any issues sneak back up on me. I would recommend using KT Tape for knee injuries or any other kind of pain you may be having, but always check with a doctor to be safe, and running store to make sure you are using the proper shoes. KT Tape is sold at any athletic store, and most running, pharmacy, and retail stores. You can check them out online at www.kttape.com for more info.
Pros-
It works
Comes in multiple colors ( including my favorite bright green)
You do not even know its there when your running
Affordable
Available most places
Cons-
I had to shave my legs ( which sucks if your a guy, and of course I cut myself)
It does not stick as well as I would like ( could just be me, and mostly on edges)