Pain Relief with Kinesio Taping
Morgan (not her real name) loved being active. She was an avid runner and frequently met up with friends to play casual soccer games in the park. But when Morgan injured her knees, the persistent pain made it difficult for her to keep up. She was pleased to discover a unique solution: Kinesio taping for pain relief.
Morgan first learned about Kinesio taping at Anatomix Physical Therapy’s Hammond, LA, and Mandeville, LA clinics while working through rehabilitation for her knee injury, patellar tendonitis. While she had seen the colorful stripes of tape on some of her favorite soccer players, she never really knew what it was for.
Our physical therapists were happy to explain! Kinesio tape–a brand name for kinesiology tape–is a very stretchy, flexible tape designed to mimic the elasticity of your skin, allowing you access to your full range of motion. It’s also very sticky, ensuring it stays in place no matter how active you get.
We suggested Morgan try Kinesio taping for pain relief. Patellar tendinitis is a relatively minor overuse injury that can take some time to heal completely. Kinesio taping helped Morgan manage her pain levels as she worked on resolving her injury, ensuring she could complete daily tasks and stay active throughout her rehabilitation.
How Does Kinesio Taping Help with Pain Relief?
There are a couple of theories about why Kinesio taping can help with pain management.
When applied correctly, the tape pulls on the skin, lifting it enough to create space between the skin itself and the tissues underneath it.
One theory is that the process helps ease restrictions in your fascia–the web of flexible tissue that wraps around the structures in your body. When the fascia becomes restricted, it can cause pain throughout the body. By easing those restrictions, you can also reduce your pain.
Another theory is that Kinesio taping helps improve the circulation of both your blood flow and your lymphatic fluids, which can reduce swelling and facilitate healing.
What’s Involved in Kinesio Taping?
Applying Kinesio tape is simple, as Morgan found out. We showed her how to do it at her first session:
- Clean the area where the tape will be applied so that it will stick properly.
- Carefully apply the Kinesio tape to the affected area, ensuring it does not overstretch.
- Wait at least ten minutes before you start any activity.
It’s essential to recognize that Kinesio taping works best when incorporated into a comprehensive treatment program. While the tape helped Morgan immensely with her patellar tendinitis, she used it alongside other treatments, including manual therapy and mobility and strength training exercises.
The main benefit of the tape was that it decreased Morgan’s pain, allowing her to complete those more vigorous interventions.
Is Kinesio Taping Right for Me?
We recommend Kinesio taping for pain relief in all sorts of situations. If you think you might benefit from it or want to learn more, contact Anatomix Physical Therapy today! Our therapists will conduct a comprehensive assessment and develop a customized treatment plan. We’ll let you know if Kinesio taping is right for you.