Kinesio Tape – Is it All in Your Head?
It is estimated that the placebo rate of a cure ranges from 15%-72% (Brynle, 2012).
By: Phil Roeder
The recent 2021 Tokyo Olympics may have caught your eyes as colored tape was adorned on athletes’ bodies. What is it? What is it for? Does it work? I investigated these questions to correct, validate, or debunk Kinesio tape with research-based evidence.
What is it?
Kinesio tape is a pliable, elastic cotton tape that works with the motion of your body, allowing unrestricted movement for the full range of motion of a joint. Dr. Kenzo Kase, the inventor of Kinesio tape, claims that the Kinesio tape is a way to heal the body (The Henry Ford, 2019).
Being a part of the therapy world, I have seen firsthand how therapists love Kinesio tape. Therapists utilize Kinesio tape to assist with swelling, pain management, and joint support. However, not all therapists believe that it works due to a placebo effect or varying research. Although Kinesio tape does work for some conditions, it does not work for all conditions.
Does Kinesio Tape Work for Low Back Fatigue?
WLWT news (2012) interviewed physical therapist Jamie Baliss, who reported medical claims of “ailments from swelling, to stabilizing a joint, to promote muscle function, or it can even help out with a stiff neck. I’ve used it from the jaw, treating TMJ problems, the neck, the shoulder, the elbow, the knee, the hip, the ankle, and the lower back.” Alvarez-Alvarez, F. Garcia-Muro, San Jose, A.L. Rodriguez-Fernandez, J. Gueita-Rodriguez & B.J. Waller (2014) conducted a clinical trial to determine if Kinesio tape (KT) decreased muscle fatigue in the low back. The participants broke into three categories of the placebo, the KT, and the control. The KT is applied vertically and laterally from T12 to the sacroiliac joint as well as KT was applied the placebo group horizontally over the muscles of the lower back. To then test the fatigue of the lower back muscles with the control, KT, and placebo tape applied, the participants obtained a Biering-Sorensen test. Consequently, those with the KT applied could withstand the muscle contraction from the Biering-Sorensen test for approximately 35.5 seconds longer than the control group. This indicated that “the Kinesio tape applied on the lower back significantly delays the onset of paravertebral muscle fatigue in healthy young adults compared to no tape and produces better effects, although not significant, than placebo application” (Alvarez-Alvarez et al., 2014, p. 210). Therefore, the peer-reviewed research article, “Effects of Kinesio Tape in Low Back Muscle Fatigue: Randomized, Controlled, Doubled-Blinded Clinical Trial on Healthy Subjects,” concluded that KT does in fact support Jamie Baliss’ medical claims in the media clip.
Does Kinesio Tape Help with Recovery from Intense Exercise?
KT Tape 2021 Olympic TV Spot (2021) showcased Kerri Walsh Jennings, 3x gold medalist, who stated, “More than ever before I have to work hard to stay in shape, I run, I lift, I do yoga, that means sore knees, sore back, sore everything. KT tape helps me push past the pain. Used by athletes around the world and at home, just like you, KT tape relieves the pain of aching muscles and joints…use it for many common injuries.” Disaphon Boobpachat, Nuttaset Manimmanakorn, Apiwan Manimmanakorn, Worrawut Thuwakum, & Michael John Hamlin (2021) conducted a study to determine if Kinesio tape (KT) would compare against a placebo tape to improve anaerobic power regaining time after intense exercise. The 32 female participants in the study do not actively participate in physical exercise on a routine basis. Additionally, the participants did not have any medical conditions that would affect the study. For seven days, the participants were contained into three categories of the elastic tape, placebo tape, and stretching groups. The elastic and placebo tape groups received the application of the tape on contrasting musculature. The stretching group performed static stretches three times a day after the rigorous exercise. Muscle contractions and strength were measured utilizing an isokinetic dynamometer. In conclusion, “elastic tape applied to the quadriceps muscle of untrained females using the facilitation technique provided no additional benefit to muscular strength, muscular power or anaerobic power recovery compared to placebo tape or static stretching with no tape” (Boobpachat et al., 2021, p. 273). Consequently, the peer-reviewed research article, “Elastic Taping has Little Effect on Recovery of Anaerobic Power After Intensive Exercise in Untrained Females,” concluded that KT does not support some of the medical claims from Kerri Walsh Jennings in the media clip.
Does Kinesio Tape Help with Tennis Elbow?
The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation (2021) interviewed Dr. Kenzo, inventor of Kinesio tape, who stated, “…use the tape to heal injuries and support and stabilize muscles. My tape, when we apply it correctly, we can move inflammatory material.” Additionally, Dr. Kenzo applied KT to the interviewer as the interviewer stated that he had had pain in his forearm from overuse of the extremity. After Dr. Kenzo applied the KT to the interviewer, he stated that the tape could reduce his pain from the KT. Lateral Epicondylitis is a painful condition in the elbow region from overuse. Banu Dilek, Ibrahim Batmaz, Mustafa Akif Sariyildiz, Ebru Sahin, Leman Ilter, Selmin Gulbahar, Remzi Cevik, & Kemal Nas (2016) conducted a study to determine if Kinesio tape would increase function for those with lateral epicondylitis. The thirty-one tested individuals did not have any conditions that would influence or conflict with the study. Kinesio tape (KT) was applied to the area, causing the issue twice a week for two weeks. The participants continued with their functional living and then were tested utilizing a dynamometer, and further interviews were conducted to evaluate progress. The KT showed to be effective as 64.5% had increased results with 9.7% with no change. “In our study, we found that KT for LE can improve pain, function, grip strength, patients’ satisfaction, and stage of disease at 2 and 6 weeks after treatment” (Dilek et al., 2016, p. 855). Therefore, the peer-reviewed research article, “Kinesio taping in patients with lateral epicondylitis,” did show to be effective with the forearm condition from overuse and further validating the claims from Dr. Kenzo Kase.
What does this mean?
The research did, in fact, correct the media’s claims. However, the research also concluded that Kinesio does help with some conditions, but not all.
Alvarez-Alvarez, S., Jose, F.G.-M.S., Rodriguez-Fernandez, A.L., Gueita-Rodriguez, J., & Waller, B.J. (2014). Effects of kinesio tape in low back muscle fatigue: randomized, controlled, doubled-blinded clinical trial on healthy subjects. Journal of Back & Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 27(2), 203-212. https://doi.org/10.3233/BMR-130437
Brynle, F. (2012 January 10). The placebo effect: how it works. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain-sense/201201/the-placebo-effect-how-it-works
Boobpachat, D., Manimmanakorn, N., Manimmanakorn, A., Thuwakum, W., & Hamlin, M.J. (2021). Elastic taping has little effect on recovery of anaerobic power after intensive exercise in untrained females. Songkanakarin Journal of Science & Technology, 43(1), 269-274. file:///D:/NEIT/Summer%202021%20Writing%20in%20Health%20Sciences/Blog%20%20Elastic%20taping%20has%20little%20effect%20on%20recover%20of%20anaerobic%20power%20after%20intensive%20exercise%20in%20untrained%20females.pdf
Dilek, B, Batmaz, I., Akif Sariyildiz, M., Sahin, E., Ilter, L., Gulbahar, S., Cevik, R., & Nas, K. (2016). Kinesio taping in patients with lateral epicondylitis. Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 29, 853-858. file:///D:/NEIT/Summer%202021%20Writing%20in%20Health%20Sciences/Blog%20KT%20in%20patients%20with%20lateral%20epicondylitis.pdf
KT Tape. (2021, June 2). KT tape 2021 olympic tv spot. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQTptZXIlCE
The Henry Ford. (2019, November 12). How kinesio tape heals athletic injuries. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MccN65hkOs0
WLWT. (2012, August 7). Kinesio tape adorned by olympic athletes. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39BUiP7qr30
This is a great post, I thoroughly enjoyed enjoyed reading through the data and information you have laid out so clearly. The media is informative, the questions you ask are poignant and relevant. Your sources are credible and valid. Great job!
Thank you so much!
It is a great blog and it is informative. I agree with you that Kinesio tape helps with pain management and joint support. I have used Ktape a few times before. After I had my first baby, I got De Quervain’s tendinosis on my right hand. I could not use my right hand to hold my baby, and it was painful to lift up an object. My chiropractor used Ktap on my wrist that helped me to reduce my pain and support my wrist. The symptom went away in a few weeks. I think Ktape works.