Kinesiotaping in sports

Kinesiotape
- Developed by Kenzo Kase (1996) - alleviate pain - promote healing of soft tissues - Polymer elastic strand wrapped with 100% cotton - Hypoallergenic, acrylic, heat activated adhesive - Latex free - Non-restrictive elastic adhesive tape - Pre-stretched 15-25% during manufacture - Air permeable (porous fabric) - Water resistant - Can stay put on 3-5 days

Kinesiotape
Mimics physical qualities of human skin- Same amount of stretch as human skin (130-140%) - Same weight and thickness as of epidermis - Limits bodys perception of weight and avoids sensory stimuli - Provides constant pulling (shear) to skin

Kinesiotape
Proposed mechanisms of function - Altered muscle function in weakened muscles - Improved blood and lymph circulation elimination tissue fluid or bleeding beneath skin - Decreased pain through neurological suppression - Repositioning of subluxed joints - relieving abnormal muscle tension - helping function of fascia and muscle - Increased proprioception - increased stimulation of cutaneous mechanoceptors
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Kinesiotape
Proposed benefits - Proprioceptive facilitation - Muscle facilitation - Reduced muscle fatigue - Reduced DOMS - Pain inhibition - Enhanced healing - reduce edema - improve blood circulation - improve lymphatic drainage
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Kinesiotape guidelines for application

Effectiveness of kinesiotaping is dependent on - Proper evaluation of the athletes injury - mechanism of injury - stage of injury - tissue involved (muscle, tendon, ligament, capsule) - Kinesiotaping technique - location - amount of stretch - of the injured tissue - of the tape
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Kinesiotape guidelines for application

Skin should be - Ideally shaved - Free of moisture - Free of oils and lotions Remove the tape from the paper backing - not vice-versa To start with, only remove the length to apply the anchor or the base Do not touch the adhesive Remember the KT already is stretched 25% during manufacturing (so it is not a zero tension tape)
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Kinesiotape guidelines for application

The base or the anchors should be - 2 inches distal and proximal to the muscles attachments There should be no stretch on the anchors/base - causes skin irritation and blisters To reduce inflammation and pain - Stretch the tissue - not the tape - this creates convolutions when the tissue is relaxed after KT application - these convolutions aid in blood circulation, lymphatic drainage and tissue nutrition - these convolutions also reduce discomfort due to swelling of soft tissues beneath the skin
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Kinesiotape guidelines for application

To reduce inflammation and pain - Stretch the tissue - not the tape

Kinesiotape guidelines for application

For muscle support e.g. during joint or ligament injury - Stretch the tape - not the tissue - Amount of stretch - based on judgment of the severity of injury During tape application - Maintain joint in functional position Stretch of the tape - Limits excessive muscle elongation - Reduces tissue damage and pain

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Kinesiotape techniques for application

I strip - Generally used for small areas - Generally applied directly over the area of injury or pain - Effective following acute muscle injuries Y strip - Generally used for large areas - Effective in the sub-acute phase of injury - The two tails of the Y surround the affected muscle

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Kinesiotape techniques for application

X strip - Generally used for large and long areas - Generally used for muscles crossing two joints - Stretch is added to the middle 1/3rd of the X strip placed over muscle belly - not stretch on the tails

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Kinesiotape techniques for application

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