Bruise

Requires;
1 piece of I TAPE
Self-taping is available

Step 1. Apply a square I tape on the area of bruise with 70-80% stretch at the center of the tape with no stretch applied at the sides.

Step 2. For additional support, another I tape can be added over the bruise across the first tape with same method.

ARES Kinesiology Tape applied on Bruise

Bruises Overview

A bruise is a common skin injury that results in breakage of blood vessels under the skin. Blood from damaged blood vessels beneath the skin collects near the surface of the skin resulting in what we recognize as a black and blue mark. A bruise is also known as a contusion.

Bruises Causes

People typically get bruises when they bump into something or when something bumps into them.

• Bruises can occur in some people who exercise rigorously, such as athletes and weight lifters. These bruises result from microscopic tears in blood vessels under the skin. Bruising in athletes can also result from direct impact/trauma and be accompanied by an underlying hematoma.
• Unexplained, random bruises that occur easily or for no apparent reason may indicate a bleeding disorder or result from blood-thinning medications (anticoagulants), especially if the bruising is accompanied by frequent nosebleeds or bleeding gums.
• Often, what are thought to be unexplained bruises on the shin or the thigh, for example, actually result from bumps into a bedpost or other object and failing to recall the injury.
• Bruises in elderly people frequently occur because their skin has become thinner with age. The tissues that support the underlying blood vessels have become more fragile.
• Bruising occurs more commonly with vitamin C deficiency (ascorbic acid deficiency).
• In children, bruising can be a sign of physical abuse of the child (child abuse).

Bruises Symptoms and Signs

• Initially, a fresh bruise may actually be reddish. It will then turn blue or dark purple within a few hours, then yellow or green after a few days as it heals.
• A bruise is commonly tender and sometimes even painful for the first few days, but the pain usually goes away as the color fades.
• Because the skin is not broken in a bruise as with a scrape or cut there is no risk of infection.
• Repeated bruising of an area can leave permanent yellowish-brown staining from iron depositing in the skin.

Bruises Treatment
Self-Care at Home

The treatment for a bruise is most effective right after the injury while the bruise is still reddish and fresh.

• A cold compress such as an icepack or a bag of frozen peas should be applied to the affected area for 20-30 minutes in order to speed healing and reduce swelling by constricting the underlying blood vessels in response to the cold. Do not apply ice directly to the skin. Wrap the icepack in a towel.
• If the bruise takes up a large area of the leg or foot, the leg should be kept elevated as much as possible during the first 24 hours after the injury.
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) may be taken for pain as instructed on the bottle. Avoid aspirin because aspirin slows the blood from clotting and may, in fact, prolong the bleeding.
• After about 48 hours, heat in the form of a warm washcloth applied to the bruise for 10 minutes or so two or three times a day may increase blood flow to the bruised area, allowing the skin to reabsorb the blood more quickly. Ultimately, the bruise will fade in color.

Reference
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/bruises/page8_em.htm