Whether your patient is a world-class triathlete or a person who spends most of their time at a desk, they are likely visiting your clinic in search of one primary thing — drug-free relief for their aches and pains. Sore muscles, injuries and chronic inflammation can happen to anyone regardless of their age or activity level, which is why it is important to have a kinesiology taping guide to support patients in all walks of life.

If you currently use kinesiology tape in your practice, you already know it can be a powerful tool, providing long-lasting relief for shoulder pain, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, injured knees and more. But the problem with most tape brands on the market is that they only offer one type of cotton-based tape, which has limitations as far as application and durability. For example, while the majority of people find relief with traditional cotton-based tapes, many professional athletes need a more durable tape, whereas people with delicate skin need a milder tape.

The newest kinesiology tape products are designed to support athletes at every stage, with adhesives to provide a gentler release of the skin, so that applying and wearing kinesiology tape can be an even more comfortable experience for everyone.

The majority of tapes provide breathable fabric, flexible support, and comfortable, water-resistant wear for 1-3 days, and newer “gentle” tapes now provide the same relief but feature an adhesive specially formulated to release more gently from the skin. The gentler tapes are great for youth athletes, elderly champions and anyone with sensitive skin.

Synthetic kinesiology tape products now provide even longer-lasting relief, designed with synthetic performance fibers that are fast-drying, water-resistant, and provide superior strength and support, compared to cotton materials, for even the toughest workouts and harshest environments. They also feature a more durable strength, enabling them to maintain their elastic properties, helping deliver superior support for muscles, joints and tendons without restricting range of motion.

Tapes designed for pro or “extreme” athletes are for individuals who perform long-distance runs, triathlons, water sports, or on patients who need a kinesiology taping guide for superior support throughout multiple workouts, as this type of product can be worn on the skin for 4-7 days.

Turn on the television to any professional sport, and it won’t take long to see a tape-wearing athlete in action. This is because sports tape is commonly used to help support the body while the muscles are actively engaged.

But the benefits of kinesiology tape extend far beyond performance support, providing recovery relief by reducing muscle soreness after exercise.

If you’ve ever experienced extremely sore muscles that made it difficult to walk or even sit down several days after an intense workout, you probably know what delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) feels like. Sure, the soreness is a nice reminder that you had a great workout, but the pain is not fun.

While the mechanism surrounding DOMS is not well understood, the theory is that after strenuous exercise, the body experiences an influx of muscle spasms, lactic acid, tissue damage and inflammation, resulting in discomfort and soreness that peaks at 48 hours and continues for up to seven days.

But good news for DOMS sufferers: In a new study, “Effects of Kinesiology Taping on the Relief of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial,” kinesiology taping was shown to have a positive impact on reducing muscle soreness after intense exercise.

In the study, a group of participants received kinesiology tape applied to their quadriceps and then performed a leg workout involving a set of drop jumps from a platform. The non-placebo group received proper placement of the tape, whereas the placebo group received kinesiology tape without technique or tension. At the 72-hour mark, researchers tested participants and found that muscle soreness was significantly lower in the group that received accurate kinesiology taping versus the placebo group. They also measured the participants’ serum creatine kinase levels, used to measure muscle damage or injury, and found that the placebo group showed significantly higher levels compared to the non-placebo group.

As the first randomized, placebo-controlled study investigating kinesiology tape and DOMS, more studies are needed to help clarify the positive effects of kinesiology tape on muscle recovery. But results may be an indicator that the lifting effect of kinesiology tape could help release pressure in the soft tissues of the body, allowing lymphatic fluid to move. This increase in lymphatic fluid helps minimize muscle pain and soreness.

To implement the use of kinesiology tape to reduce the effects of DOMS within your own practice, it is important to apply tape to the targeted muscle group prior to anticipated activity and continue to wear the tape for days after training. Using kinesiology tape in this way can result in decreased post-workout muscle soreness by 50% for 48-72 hours post-exercise.

If you are curious about how to utilize kinesiology tape in your own practice, here are a few basic kinesiology taping guide tips to ensure you get the most out of your application:

When it comes to supporting your patients with their active lifestyles, a little kinesiology tape goes a long way. You can apply it in your clinic as part of your practice and you can also encourage your patients to use it on their own for extended results.

No matter where your patients are in their activity, you can find everything you need with the latest in kinesiology taping.

MORGAN SERRANO is a writer for KT Tape. To find chiropractic tape application techniques for every part of the body, go to KTTape.com.

Filed Under: 2022, Chiropractic Practice Management, Clinical & Chiropractic Techniques, issue-06-2022 Tagged With: kinesiology tape, kinesiology taping, kinesiology taping guide, kt tape

Get Chiropractic Economics magazine delivered to your home or office. Just fill out our form to request your FREE subscription for 20 issues a year, including two annual Buyers Guides.