Run Streaking With KT Tape Pro Oxygen

I’m not normally the kinda gal who goes run streaking. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not against run streaking. I can see the appeal of setting and pursuing that kind of goal. It’s just not a me thing. I prefer more flexibility in my training schedule and overall life schedule.

There is, however, one time a year where I make an exception: the two weeks I spend in Ocean City, MD. There is something so soothing about running on the boardwalk. I’m not sure if it’s the soft wooden boards, the proximity to the ocean, or the simple fact that I’m at least partially on vacation. Probably some combination thereof.

As such, I want to take advantage of every single boardwalk run I can – so I run every morning. I indulge in an easy three miles for thirteen days straight.

KINESIO TAPE IS CLUTCH FOR RUN STREAKS

Like I said, it’s an easy three miles and the boardwalk is a soft and gentle surface for running. Still, depending on how decrepit my body has been of late, my joints could often use a bit of reinforcement in the face of that many workouts in a row.

By now I’m sure you’re all well aware that I am all about that kinesio tape life. Luckily the running gods smiled upon me, because no less a kinesio tape giant than KT Tape blessed me with a free roll of their Pro Oxygen tape. That’s right, I’m reviewing a gifted item today! I did indeed receive the roll for free in exchange for said review. Yet fear not: my opinions remain my unfiltered own.

So what is KT Tape Pro Oxygen anyway, and how does it differ from regular KT Tape Pro?

WHAT IS KT TAPE PRO OXYGEN?

KT Tape Pro Oxygen is essentially regular KT Tape plussed with an energy booster. Let’s let them explain it first:

Per the product page, Pro Oxygen is imbued with something called “Celliant Infrared Technology.” Celliant is described as a natural blend of minerals which “convert[s] your body’s heat into infrared energy which increases local blood flow and delivers more available oxygen to cells [where it is applied].”

The fine print does note that this is not clinically proven, but then neither is kinesio tape itself. We’ve come this far; why stop the fun now? Given that you can’t really hurt yourself with different tapes unless you, I don’t know, eat them or shove them in your ear or something, it doesn’t hurt to take a metaphorical stab.

At any rate, Pro Oxygen also purports to do all the fun supportive stuff normal KT Tape does, so there’s no harm in experimenting. I slapped some on over the course of my run streak. Here’s how it went.

HOW DOES PRO OXYGEN DIFFER FROM KT TAPE PRO?

We already went over what differentiates Pro Oxygen from regular Pro as far as the addition of Celliant goes. This section will instead cover how the experience differs.

Over the course of my streak I alternated using Oxygen and standard Pro KT Tapes so as to better compare the two. Aside from the kicky beehive pattern (I love bees!!!), I immediately noticed a difference in the outer texture of the Pro Oxygen. It’s smoother and a bit tacky, almost like rubber. From a purely tactile perspective I quite liked it.

I also found Pro Oxygen to be less adherent than regular Pro. Not by a LOT, but it left noticeably less residue behind when I peeled it off. Whether or not this is a pro or a con is a matter of circumstance and opinion. I will say that it was nice not to have bits of glue stuck to my skin after use, which is sometimes irritating. On the other hand, this isn’t ideal for active use. More on this in the next section.

HOW DID IT WORK ON MY RUN STREAK?

Normally I test my kinesio tape under borderline unfair conditions: the invariably hot, humid, and sweaty locale of Puerto Rico. You would think that Ocean City’s mid-Atlantic environment would be friendlier, but alas – the situation was hotter. Maybe a bit less humid, I grant you, but not by much. Thus we once again put KT Tape through its paces.

My primary area of concern was my left hip, with a secondary bit of IT band support for flavor. The hip was mostly covered by fabric to help the tape stay, although a bit often poked out of the top. The IT band was often partially exposed.

Sweaty conditions are tough for any kinesio tape, and Oxygen was no exception. Under clothing, it held just fine. But where it was exposed to air with nothing to hold it against my skin, it crumbled. As I said above, it seems less sticky than regular Pro.

Oxygen felt like it worked the same, though, as long as it stayed on. The support is still there, as any other Pro tape strip.

BUT WAS YOUR RUN MORE OXYGENATED?

What about that Celliant technology? Was there more blood flow? Did it deliver oxygen to my cells? Hard to say, of course – you’d need a scientific team to get to the bottom of that one. I alternated some Oxygen days with regular Pro days, and I’m not sure I could articulate a definitive difference.

I will say that I’ve been having hip pain for weeks, and not only was it well managed by this tape, I was able to knock out my final two runs with no hip tape at all. Was this a product of additional blood flow speeding up my healing time? Again, hard to say for sure. As we all well know, correlation does not equal causation. I’d like to experiment a bit more, particularly as – knock on wood – I increase my mileage over this training block. I’ll probably pick up another roll to test the hypothesis.

SHOULD YOU TRY KT TAPE PRO OXYGEN ON YOUR NEXT RUN?

Here’s the annoying thing about reviews: they are inherently anecdotal. Everyone’s body, needs, and physical state have different requirements. Just because something works for me doesn’t mean it will work for you, and vice versa.

That is, however, completely useless as a wrap up, so instead I’ll leave you with some tentative advice.

Is adherence a priority for you? If so, Oxygen might not be your thing, especially if your injury can’t be covered by clothing to hold the tape down.

Alternatively, if you’ve got a minor injury you just can’t shake and tape helps, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t try Oxygen. Because here’s something I really appreciate about KT Tape: they don’t horrifically mark up their fancier rolls. The premium on Oxygen vs. regular Pro amounts to about four bucks’ difference, which is well within “give it a shot” parameters. Maybe a little additional blood flow will do the trick! Should it not work out for you, your wallet will at least be none the worse for wear. (KT Tape Pro Ice is priced the same as Oxygen.)

You can purchase KT Tape Pro Oxygen on the KT Tape website here on on Amazon here. I’d love to know how it goes if you try it!

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