WHAT IS THE CURRENT EVIDENCE FOR THE USE OF KINESIO TAPE? A LITERATURE REVIEW
The popularity of kinesio taping has skyrocketed in recent weeks due to a high-profile presence at the London 2012 Olympics and European Football Championships, with widespread coverage in mainstream media. Much attention has been paid to the athletes wearing the tape and the claims made by the manufacturers, with very little evidence being given as to its efficacy. It is the aim of this article to assess if the current body of evidence supports the use of kinesio taping in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.
BACKGROUND Kinesio taping was developed by Japanese chiropractor Kenso Kase in the 1970s as a method of assisting physical treatment of damaged tissue while maintaining full range of motion – unlike traditional taping methods, which restrict movement. The Kinesio Taping Association (KTA) has over 10,000 members worldwide and is training professionals at a rate of over 800 per year in the UK.
Kinesio tape (KT) first gained widespread attention at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where 50,000 rolls were donated to 58 countries, giving the product exposure on the world stage. Since then, high-profile athletes such as Lance Armstrong, Rory McIlroy and David Beckham have popularised use of the tape, and it can now be regularly seen at many high-profile sporting events. The precise mechanism of how
the tape works is ultimately unproven 24
but its ability to stretch longitudinally when placed on the skin is the primary mechanism offered by its inventor (1). The tape is said to lift the epidermis as it recoils after being applied with tension. This ‘lifting’ increases space between the skin and the underlying connective tissues, vessels and muscles to improve mobility and aid lymphatic and venous movement. The ‘lifting’ also has an effect on underlying fascia, reducing pain, decreasing susceptibility to microtrauma and improving muscle performance. The therapeutic effect is the same
for all available colours and some believe is dependent on the direction that the tape is applied. Figure 1a demonstrates a typical application to inhibit a muscle, tension is applied distally to proximally, whereas Figure 1b shows application in the opposite direction to facilitate a weakened muscle; both applied with minimal
sportEX dynamics 2012;34(October):24-30
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37