John Castro, PT, DPT, OCS, MTC, Clinical Supervisor at HSS Westchester Rehabilitation and Performance, is a certified orthopedic specialist and physical therapist who has been applying the therapeutic tape for nearly three decades. In this Q&A, he sorts through the hype.
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Kinesiology tape is a thin, flexible tape that was developed to aid muscle movement and enhance athletic performance. It is often used to relieve pain, reduce swelling and inflammation and provide support to joints and muscles.
The elasticity, or stretchiness, of kinesiology tape allows for movement. This makes it different from the more rigid rehabilitation tape or support adhesives that have no stretch to them. Those are used to keep muscles and joints from moving and provide support after a sports-related injury, and for people who have conditions that make it difficult to activate muscles or control muscle contraction.
A survey published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy found that most professionals use kinesiology tape for post-injury treatment, to help lessen pain and to stimulate the muscles into action.
Taping is not new. Support adhesives have been used since the Olympic games in the s. Athletes like weightlifters, volleyball players, divers and rock climbers have also long used them.
Kinesio Tape® was introduced in as a neuromuscular tape intended to help improve muscle contraction. The quality of this tape was supposed to be physiologically similar to the skin. It became a trend in the United States in after an article in The New York Times featured an Olympic beach-volleyball champion wearing the tape on her shoulder. Over time, many different brands introduced similar versions, including KT Tape®, RockTape®, K-Tape® and dozens of others.
One of the main reasons we use kinesiology tape is to help people with muscle stimulation after an injury. The thin, stretchy tape imitates the skin’s elasticity, so it feels very natural. When you apply the tape, the skin sends signals to the nerves to activate the muscles. When the muscles receive that information, they respond to the stimulation and contract. Muscle contractions produce movement, sustain body posture and position and help stabilize joints.
In addition, kinesiology tape is used to relieve pain from inflammation and lymphedema. It’s applied in a way that pulls the skin upward, creating a space under the skin that improves the lymphatic flow in that area. It may also help prevent arthritic inflammation from flaring, but there is little evidence to support that and it is even less beneficial if the condition is chronic or mobility is a problem.
Most of the studies that have been done are not conclusive. Research outcomes may vary depending on the material of tape used. Different brands use different materials, so studies can generate a high degree of inconsistencies.
Another problem is that most blinded studies are designed to randomize people into groups in which every person receives the same taping technique. However, different application techniques are needed for each patient, body part and condition. Knee pain, for instance, could be caused by issues with the tendon, the meniscus, the fat pad, the ligament or a combination of these. For best results, we must tailor the taping technique for the specific problem causing the pain.
There are some studies that have shown good outcomes when the correct taping technique is applied on the right patient. These included patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome, knee osteoarthritis and lymphedema after mastectomy.
Some people will benefit no matter what kind of tape we use or how we use it. Patients should feel more than 30% better when I apply kinesiology tape. That’s when I know it’s helping. If they only feel 5% or 10% better, then it’s probably a placebo effect.
Additionally, some people think the various colors of kinesiology tape have specific properties and benefits, but they do not. Color choice is simply a matter of personal preference.
The biggest misconception, however, involves claims that applying kinesiology tape for knee or shoulder instability can provide support similar to a brace, but that is not necessarily true. In my opinion, the material is too soft, so it doesn’t create enough stability. There is no conclusive research to support its use in this area. People may want to ask their provider about using the more rigid support adhesives for these particular issues instead.
The major downside is skin irritation. The tape may create blisters and skin damage, so it should not be put on open wounds or used on people who have very frail skin, like older patients.
The tape is supposed to be hypoallergenic, but between 5% and 15% of users are allergic to the material. A good way to know if you are allergic is to apply a piece of the tape on the forearm and wait at least one hour for a reaction. If you feel itchy under or around the skin covered by the tape, remove the tape right away and do not use it.
Kinesiology tape can stay in place for several days and up to three weeks. To remove the tape with minimal skin irritation, I recommend patients soak it when bathing, apply some oil on the area, hold the skin and pull the tape off slowly and gently.
People can try applying kinesiology tape themselves, but it won’t be as effective. There are instructional videos online, and some practitioners may be willing to teach you how to apply the tape so you can continue to do it yourself at home. But you will have a better result if an experienced or certified practitioner applies it with good technique. Taping is not one-size-fits-all. It requires a certain clinical background and experience to understand how best to apply the tape for each patient’s anatomy and condition.
Published 9/20/
Kinesiology tape may provide support, reduce pain and swelling, and have other benefits. Some people use it to treat injuries and improve performance.
Today, there are more than 50 brands of kinesiology tape on the market, but the original product, Kinesio tape or Kinesio Tex Tape, was developed in the late s by Dr. Kenzo Kase, a Japanese chiropractor who wanted a tape that provided support but didn’t limit movement the way traditional athletic tapes do.
If you’ve watched a volleyball game or competitive bicycle race, you’ve probably seen it: strips of colorful tape splayed in patterns across shoulders, knees, backs, and abs. That’s kinesiology tape: a therapeutic tape that’s applied strategically to the body to provide support, lessen pain, reduce swelling, and improve performance.
Enthusiasts report success achieving these aims, but so far, there needs to be more research to say with certainty what taping can and cannot do.
Here’s what we know about how physical and sports therapists use it, its benefits, tips and what to know.
Kinesiology tape is really stretchy.
Kase created Kinesio tape with a proprietary blend of cotton and nylon. It’s designed to mimic the skin’s elasticity so you can use your full range of motion. The tape’s medical-grade adhesive is also water-resistant and strong enough to stay on for three to five days, even while you work out or take showers.
When the tape is applied to your body, it recoils slightly, gently lifting your skin. It is believed that this helps to create a microscopic space between your skin and the tissues underneath it.
One small study with 32 participants showed that when kinesiology tape was applied over the knee, it increased the space in the knee joint.
A similar study showed kinesiology tape also increased the space in the shoulder joint. Even though the increase in space is slight, it helps reduce the chance of joint irritation.
Some physical therapists think the tape changes the information your sensory nervous system is sending about pain and compression in your body.
Dr. Megann Schooley, board-certified clinical specialist in sports physical therapy and certified strength and conditioning specialist, explains it this way:
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“All of your tissues — skin, connective tissue, fascia, muscles — contain sensory receptors that feel pain, temperature, and touch. Those receptors all contribute to proprioception—your brain’s sense of where your body is and what it’s doing. Kinesiology taping creates a lift that unloads the underlying tissues. Decompressing those tissues can change the signals going to the brain. When the brain receives a different signal, it’s going to respond differently,” Schooley says.
Trigger points are a good example. Physical therapists have used kinesiology tape to lift the skin over these tense, knotted muscles. When the area is decompressed, pain receptors send a new signal to the brain, and tension in the trigger point decreases.
A study showed that trigger point pain was reduced and flexibility increased for people when kinesiology tape and manual pressure were used together.Chao YW, et al. (). Kinesio taping and manual pressure release: Short-term effects in subjects with myofasical trigger point.
kinesiotaping.com/wp-content/uploads//11/Chao-Lin-.pdf
If you’ve been injured, kinesiology tape might help improve circulation and reduce swelling in the area where you’re hurt.
A study showed that kinesiology taping can improve blood flow in the skin.Craighead DH, et al. (). Kinesiology tape modestly increases skin blood flow regardless of tape application technique.
performancehealthresearch.com/article/ It may also improve circulation of lymphatic fluids. Lymphatic fluid is mostly water, but it also contains proteins, bacteria, and other chemicals. The lymphatic system is the way your body regulates swelling and fluid buildup.
The theory is that when kinesiology tape is applied, it creates extra subcutaneous space, which changes the pressure gradient in the area underneath your skin. That change in pressure enhances the flow of lymphatic fluid.
Studies have had mixed results. In two recent studies, kinesiology tape reduced fluid buildup in women who underwent breast cancer treatment and people who had total knee replacements.Malicka I, et al. (). Kinesiology taping reduces lymphedema of the upper extremity in women after breast cancer treatment: a pilot study. DOI:
10./pm..Deniz GH, et al. (). THU-HPR Comparison of kinesio tape application and manual lymphatic drainage on lower extremity oedema and functions after total knee arthroplasty. https://ard.bmj.com/content/77/Suppl_2/.1
Changing the flow of lymphatic fluid could help bruises heal faster. Although there are few studies to confirm this effect, anecdotally some people report that when they’ve removed tape from bruised body parts, the areas under the tape were a different color than the un-taped areas.
Physical therapists sometimes use kinesiology taping as one part of an overall treatment plan for people who’ve been injured. The American Physical Therapy Association reports that kinesiology taping is most effective when it’s used in conjunction with other treatments like manual therapy.Study says therapeutic taping no better than other approaches to treat chronic musculoskeletal pain, disability. (). http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/News//2/20/TapingSystematicReview/
“We use kinesiology taping to mitigate pain and swelling,” Schooley says, “but it’s always used as an adjunct to what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Kinesiology tape is also used to add extra support to muscles or joints that need it. If you have patellofemoral stress syndrome, IT band friction syndrome, or Achilles tendonitis, kinesiology taping might help you.
Unlike white medical or athletic tape, kinesiology tape lets you move normally. In fact, some studies show that it can enhance movement and endurance. Studies on athletes have shown that when kinesiology tape is used on fatigued muscles, performance improves.
Kinesiology tape can help re-train muscles that have lost function or that have gotten used to an unhealthy way of working.
For example, kinesiology taping can be used to correct posture in your head and neck.Shih HS, et al. (). Effects of kinesio taping and exercise on forward head posture. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ And a study supports using it to help stroke patients improve the way they walk.Sung Y-B, et al. (). Effects of taping and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation for stance phase duration of stroke patients. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/
Physical therapists think this may be because having the strange sensation of tape on your skin can make you more aware of how you’re standing or moving.
Some athletes use kinesiology taping to help them achieve peak performance and protect against injury when they’re competing in special events.
“A lot of runners use this tape every time they run a marathon,” Schooley says. “We sometimes place the tape along the glute as a way of ‘waking up’ the muscle and reminding it to keep working.”
Although you should never use kinesiology tape on an open wound, there is some scientific evidence to suggest that kinesiology tape can improve the long-term appearance of scars after surgery or injury.Karwacinska J, et al. (). Effectiveness of Kinesio Taping on hypertrophic scars, keloids and scar contractures. DOI:
10./j.poamed..04.010 This is definitely a treatment you should discuss with a doctor first.
The answer for some people is: yes. But we need more research — what exists currently is inconsistent. Some studies indicate no difference in outcomes between kinesiology tape and placebos or “sham taping.”
Some studies show minimal or moderate gains.
Many studies indicate that kinesiology taping is most effective when used together with conventional treatment methods.
There are some circumstances in which kinesiology tape should not be used. They include the following.
You should always consult with a physical therapist who is trained in the proper application of kinesiology tape before you try to put it on yourself.
A physical therapist will show you how to apply the tape in the pattern that will help your specific problem. Tape can be applied in an X, Y, I, or fan pattern, depending on your goals. You may also need both stabilization and decompression strips.
Your physical therapist can watch you practice applying and removing the tape before you try it at home.
“Taping is not a permanent solution,” Schooley says. “You want to build your strength and skill, because correcting the root problem is key.”
If you’re wearing the tape longer than a few days, it may begin loosening on its own. Here are some tips for getting the tape off without hurting your skin.
The adhesive on major brands is latex-free and hypoallergenic, so it shouldn’t cause an allergic reaction if it’s applied properly and if you don’t have sensitivities. It’s probably a good idea to apply a test strip first, just to be on the safe side.
Although the effectiveness of kinesiology taping is not well researched, it may provide support, increase circulation, reduce pain, and improve the way your joints and muscles work.
Before using it, you should talk to a physical therapist, because it’s most useful when combined with other treatment methods.
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