When to Use Flexible Sports Tape？

The world of sports and fitness is a constantly evolving one. It seems that every week, athletes are trying something new to enhance their performance and preserve their body’s health. Even those who are simply looking to maintain their own personal fitness are trying new and trendy exercise preparation methods. One method that remains effective and has withstood the test of time is the use of athletic tape. From track stars and NBA players to those just beginning their fitness journey, the benefits of athletic tape can help any exerciser improve their workout and, more importantly, stay injury free. Here are some of the different types of athletic tape and how they might help you.

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Preventing Injury

Traditional taping is one of the most common methods of preventing injury, especially among athletes. This is a method that involves using a more rigid athletic tape in an effort to keep muscles or bones in a certain position. This is especially used in areas of the body near joints, such as ankles, wrists, and hands. This added support can help prevent sprains, breaks, or other injuries that may occur from exercise and competitive sports.

Athletes also use less restrictive tape to help prevent injuries. Elastic therapeutic tape is one of the most popular types of athletic tape. Its popularity skyrocketed after the Beijing Olympics when most of the athletes were seen wearing the colorful material on their skin while competing. What makes this athletic tape important is that it is used during exercise preparation in an effort to slightly lift the skin, leaving enough room between the skin and muscles to increase blood flow and lymphatic drainage. Essentially, the increased flow can help prevent muscle cramps, spasms, and other common athletic injuries. Athletic tape is also unique in that it does not restrict the range of motion, allowing athletes to maintain their flexibility and comfort while exercising or competing. In fact, this athletic tape has been known to increase the range of motion for athletes since it reduces inflammation. If you’re somebody who suffers from chronic muscle fatigue or cramps, the athletic tape could be the key to alleviate this during your workouts. Though useful, elastic therapeutic tape should always be applied by a certified athletic training professional to prevent injury and increase effectiveness.

Rehabilitation

Though athletic tape can help prevent injuries caused by exercise, injuries can, unfortunately, still occur. When they do, athletic tape can be the effective remedy you need. The use of traditional athletic tape in limiting the range of motion for certain muscles and joints can help the body heal faster versus if the movement was not restricted. It can also serve as a splint for sprained joints, which helps the injury heal at a much faster rate as well. By compressing the muscle, traditional athletic tape can help decrease swelling, which can alleviate pain and prevent further injury.

Elastic therapeutic tape is used for the same reasons but in different ways. By helping to increase blood flow in the injured area, athletic tape decreases swelling which alleviates pain. The elasticity of the athletic tape can also serve as support for the affected muscles. It naturally goes back to its original position, which takes some of the workload off of the athlete’s muscle. When the athlete is well enough to return to their sport or activity, the tape can help support the previously affected area from re-injury and keep any pain at bay. Athletic tape can also help correct any form issues that may stem from injury or preexisting conditions. A trainer can perform a runner’s analysis to apply the tape in an optimal position for their injury, helping fix their form and prevent further harm.

Chronic Issues

Though athletic tape is often associated with fitness and athletes, it can also be used to help treat certain issues of chronic pain that people may suffer from. Athletic tape, specifically elastic therapeutic tape, has been used to relieve discomfort caused by chronic pain. Rather than resort to surgery or painkillers, athletic tape has been known to decrease some of the pain caused by this common ailment for more than 100 million Americans. Using athletic tape on the back and neck has also been used to alleviate headaches and migraines. By helping improve a person’s posture and allowing easier blood flow in the neck and back, wearers of athletic tape have reported less frequent headaches and a decreased severity in their migraines. It can also be used to help with other conditions such as carpal tunnel and tendonitis, which goes to show that you do not necessarily need to be an athlete to appreciate the importance, usefulness and capabilities of athletic tape.

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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. 

What is kinesiology tape and what is it used for?

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. 

Is taping a new approach? 

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.

Who benefits from using kinesiology tape?

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.

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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.

Is there published research that supports using kinesiology tape? 

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. 

Are there misconceptions people should be aware of?

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.

Are there any downsides to using kinesiology tape?

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. 

Can people use it at home or should it only be applied by trained professionals? 

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/

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