Without that proper guidance, Dr. King warns that you could actually make your pain worse. “Whenever you have muscle soreness— either pain during activity or lingering pain after activity— it’s important to see a healthcare professional to understand the underlying problem that’s causing that symptom. Edema happens when blood vessels in your body leak fluid. This fluid accumulates, which causes swelling. KT tape has been shown to be effective in reducing inflammation, which is thought to be due to the tape’s ability to restrict blood flow. Conclusion The reported potential physiological mechanisms that occur with KT application are reported in Table 2. Most respondents believed that KT stimulates skin mechanoreceptors increasing proprioception (77%, n=834), lifts the skin to improve local circulation (69%, n=749), stimulates skin nociceptors resulting in pain modulation (60%, n=652), and creates a placebo effect (74%; n =798). Others indicated that KT application improves muscle activation and motor control (46%, n=501) and inhibits muscle activation (32%, n=345) when used in patient care ( Table 2). Ramírez-Vélez R, Hormazábal-Aguayo I, Izquierdo M, González-Ruíz K, Correa-Bautista JE, García-Hermoso A. Effects of kinesio taping alone versus sham taping in individuals with musculoskeletal conditions after intervention for at least one week: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Physiotherapy. 2019;105(4):412-420. doi:10.1016/j.physio.2019.04.001 [ PubMed] [ Google Scholar]

Experiencing knee pain usually occurs when you’re actively using your joint. Bending the knee while going down a flight of stairs, standing up from a sitting position, or even simply walking or running can cause pain and inflammation, often because of an underlying injury to your joint that’s causing a painful instability. Supporting your joint and keeping it from moving in ways that it shouldn’t helps to reduce and relieve that pain, and that’s exactly what KT Tape’s role is. During injury blood and other fluids build up causing inflammation and swelling. If there’s too much inflammation, excess is unable to be removed by the lymphatic system. In short, the lymphatic vessels become compressed which prevents oxygen and nutrients from being delivered to healing tissues. Increased space theoretically allows muscles greater contractility, which in turn pushes more fluid through the muscle, resulting in better muscle performance. The space created is believed to relieve pressure on the lymph channels in the area between the muscle and the dermis, creating more space for lymph flow and thus better lymph drainage through an affected area. Anyone suffering from sore muscles or joint pain due to minor sprains/strains or chronic inflammatory conditions like osteoporosis can benefit from using KT tape.For length of time wearing tape, most respondents (70%) recommended for clients to wear KT an average of two to three days with a maximum wear time of three to five days ( Table 5). These recommendation are consistent with research that has examined the effects of KT wear time of three to seven days on balance and functional performance among healthy individuals, 94 among individuals with myofascial pain syndrome and trigger points, 95–98 chronic ankle instability, 99 subacromial shoulder impingement, 100,101 rheumatoid arthritis, 102 knee osteoarthritis, 103 total knee replacement, 104 and lymphedema. 105 Studies have also been performed measuring hamstring extensibility, 106 increased local tissue temperature, 54 and quadriceps strength 107 in subjects wearing KT within this time range. Survey respondent recommendations for KT wear time seem to be in line with the research. Professionals should determine KT wear time on an individual basis and always monitor for side effects such as skin irritation or allergy, 77 and future research should examine how clinicians adjust wear time based on client need or clinical scenario. Some athletes use kinesiology taping to help them achieve peak performance and protect against injury when they’re competing in special events. Dr.Kenso Kase introduced kinesiology tape (KT) in the 1970s and healthcare professionals have since made it a popular intervention across different rehabilitation, fitness, and sports settings. 1 The tape is made of a cotton-base, with elastic properties and adhesive which allows it to be applied directly to the skin. KT is available in different sizes, widths, material, lengths (e.g.precut, rolls), and textures. Currently, numerous manufacturers, such as KT Tape®, Kinesio Tape®, and TheraBand® Kinesiology Tape, produce various types of tape to meet different therapeutic needs such as: sports, edema control, and neurosensory effects. Some manufacturers have expanded beyond tape production and provide professional continuing education and certification to practitioners who want to utilize KT in clinical practice. Ravichandran H, Janakiraman B, Sundaram S, Fisseha B, Gebreyesus T, Yitayeh Gelaw A. Systematic review on effectiveness of shoulder taping in hemiplegia. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2019;28(6):1463-1473. doi:10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2019.03.021 [ PubMed] [ Google Scholar]

The "Y" strip: This strip is used to cross sensitive areas of your body such as behind your knee or in the front of your elbow. It is also commonly used for applicationsto control the position of your kneecapas in patellofemoral stress syndromeor a subluxing patella. The "Y" strip is typically not as long as the "X" strip. Deniz GH, et al. (2018). THU0727-HPR Comparison of kinesio tape application and manual lymphatic drainage on lower extremity oedema and functions after total knee arthroplasty.Unlike basic athletic tape, which is rigid and restrictive to support muscles, joints, sprains, and aches by limiting range of motion, KT tape is made to stretch 40 percent of its original length studies show. In other words, KT tape moves with your body while simultaneously supporting your muscles and joints. It’s a win-win! What is KT tape used for? Most respondents (77%, n=837) provided tape removal instructions to the clients. Common instructions included slowly removing tape (44%, n=474), applying oil (mineral, baby) to tape or use of adhesive remover (18%, n=191), wetting tape before removal (10%, n=113), and do not rip off tape (7%, n=67). Twenty-three percent (n=246) did not provide any tape removal instructions ( Table 5). Knee pain: It’s extremely common in runners, and knee pain is often caused by overuse, arthritis, or weak surrounding muscles in your hip, foot, quad, or hamstring. KT tape can help reduce knee pain by supporting weaker parts of the body, or by lifting muscles and tendons off the kneecap to relieve tension and create more space in the knee joint, per research studies. How to: A doctor will likely put one long strip of KT tape along the bottom of your foot and another across the arch.

Lee K, Yi CW, Lee S. The effects of kinesiology taping therapy on degenerative knee arthritis patients' pain, function, and joint range of motion. J Phys Ther Sci. 2016;28(1):63-6. doi:10.1589/jpts.28.63

Cut 1-2 inch (2.5 – 5 cm) pieces of tape based on the size of the area being treated (smaller areas typically require smaller pieces). kinesiotaping.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Chao-Lin-2016.pdf May improve circulation of blood and fluids So what does this end up providing your knee? For one, KT Tape can help provide better knee stability, provide some relief for knee pain, and may even be beneficial for anyone suffering from arthritis in the knee. Let’s take a look at each of these uses one at a time to see just how KT Tape works to provide this support and relief, shall we? KT Tape for Knee Stability Thelan, M., Dauber, J. A., and Stoneman, P. (2008) The Clinical Efficacy of Kinesio Tape for Shoulder Pain: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Clinical Trial. A 2015 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. (2016). Kinesio taping and manual pressure release: Short-term effects in subjects with myofasical trigger point.