Perhaps you have seen athletes on television with a strange looking configuration of colored tape on their arms or legs. This would be Kinesio Tex tape, or Kinesiotape. Kinesiotape has been in use for about 25 years, but it has only recently gained widespread recognition and popularity. There are now several other brands of this tape sold in athletic stores and specialty running stores, and each can be used for athletic purposes or other orthopedic pathologies. The tape is used to promote blood and lymphatic flow, reduce pain, normalize muscle function, and improve joint alignment and proprioception. How does the tape work to do all these things? Following injury, muscles are often inhibited by swelling, and this can cause an imbalance of muscle forces around a joint. These changes in muscle flexibility and strength can cause malalignment of the joint and lead to great dysfunction. In the past, and still today, non-flexible athletic tape is often used to support an injury such as an ankle sprain. However, this type of athletic tape is often restrictive to a joint’s normal motion and can cause harsh irritation to the skin. Kinesiotape differs from traditional athletic tape in that it has elasticity that allows normal range of motion in a joint, while still offering support to muscles around the joint. It also has gentle adhesive properties that prevent skin irritation.
So how does the tape work to reduce pain? Swelling usually accompanies an injury and can cause compression of tissues, thus restricting the flow of lymphatic fluid. This build up of pressure in the injured area stimulates pain receptors. When applying Kinesiotape, the body part is positioned in a way so the skin over the affected area is stretched. When the body part is returned to its normal position, the tape’s elastic properties create a lifting effect of the skin, and create space in the subcutaneous tissue to allow for lymphatic flow. This allows for better lymph drainage and reduction of the stimulation to pain receptors. These physiological effects can enhance the body’s natural healing properties.
I often use Kinesiotaping techniques in my clinical practice, and have achieved positive outcomes. I would say the most common types of injuries I apply the tape to are muscle strains and tendon pathologies in the knee, shoulder, and ankle. This includes patellar tendonitis, ankle and knee ligament sprains, biceps tendonitis, rotator cuff tendonitis, Achilles tendonitis and calf strains, and plantar fasciitis. Kinesiotape can also be used for postural support for neck and back pain, or even to reduce symptoms caused by an irritated nerve. The risk of using the tape is possible skin irritation for those people with sensitive skin. Overall, it is a useful adjunct treatment to other physical therapy interventions and can help return you to your sport or daily activities with reduced pain and improved function. The newer brands of tape sometimes come in complex designs or configurations with instructions to apply the tape yourself. In order to gain the tape’s maximum benefits, I recommend consulting a health or fitness professional that has been trained in proper taping techniques.Source: Kinesio Taping Association, www.kinesiotaping.com