It’s been approximately 50 years since athletes began using kinesiology tape, often called by its brand names, KT tape and Kinesio Tape.
Kenzo Kase, a chiropractic doctor in Japan developed it so physical therapists and trainers could mimic the elasticity of human skin and yet offer support and improved blood circulation in muscles. Despite its popularity, its effectiveness has been debated by both runners and physical therapists so much so that in 2021, The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy published a survey of more than 1,000 experts regarding their use and opinion of kinesiology tape.
So, what exactly is KT tape, how does it work, and what does KT tape do? We have those answers.
What does KT tape do?
Kinesiology tape is tape that you (or your physical therapist or doctor) applies to your muscles. “It’s an elastic tape that provides sensory input into an area, but still allows for full range of motion,” Laurey Lou, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., a physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist, tells Runner’s World.
Athletic tape is usually used to create support around a joint, he says, which actually restricts motion. Kinesio tape, on the other hand, can actually stretch up to 40 percent of its original length while retaining its elasticity, which is what allows it to provide support, without hindering, your body’s movements.
For decades, KT tape was used widely by professional athletes, physical therapists, and trainers alike, but it didn’t really go mainstream until the 2008 Summer Olympics when volleyball player Kerri Walsh wore KT tape on her shoulder and subsequently won the gold medal. Now, kinesiology tape is ubiquitous in the athletic world.
How does KT tape work?
Most KT tape is made from a combination of cotton, spandex, and adhesive, which is what makes it different from elastic bandage wraps. “Traditional athletic tape is made of just cotton, so it doesn’t have the stretching ability that kinesiology tape has,” Grayson Wickham, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., a physical therapist, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and founder of Movement Vault tells Runner’s World.
When applied correctly, KT tape is meant to lift the skin from the tissues below it to relieve pain. Because there are nerve receptors in the skin, as well as in the deep layers of the fascia, muscles, and other connective tissues, “When tape is applied, it causes compression or decompression of these areas, supposedly allowing it to alter pain signals to the brain,” Wickham explains.
It’s the tape’s elasticity that matters most. “We can use more tension to turn on or excite a muscle,” Kellen Scantlebury, D.PT. and owner of Fit Club Physical Therapy and Sports Performance tells Runner's World. For example: If someone has surgery to repair their ACL, their quad will likely be weak. Taping the quad with maximum tension, he explains, brings those muscle fibers together, essentially causing a contraction which is what strengthens your muscles.
On the flip side, someone with plantar fasciitis and tightness in their calves will be taped with limited tension to “turn off” the muscle so the person doesn’t receive pain signals, Scantlebury explains.
“When I first work with someone, I have them wear the tape while they’re exercising, while they’re doing day-to-day activities, whatever,” says Scantlebury. The tape typically lasts for three to five days, even if you shower or swim with it, and the constant wear is to re-educate the body to perform in a more optimal way. “You want the tape to give that consistent feedback over a sustained period of time so the body becomes aware that this is now the new normal,” he says.
If wearing the tape for a period of days helps, there’s no need to reapply; you don’t want your muscles to rely on the tape to do their job. If they’re still not doing what you want them to do, you can try again with the tape (but wait a few days to give your skin time to breathe).
What is KT tape used for?
“Depending on the way kinesiology tape is applied, it can be used for a variety of different things including, but not limited to, muscle inhibition/facilitation, pain relief, decreasing swelling, proprioceptive stability (helping your muscles provide stability while still allowing for motion), and tissue decompression,” Lou says.
For runners, there are a few common pain issues that kinesiology tape may help address. But keep in mind: If you’re experiencing any of these issues and think kinesiology tape could help, head to a professional before you unravel your first roll. “It looks easy, but you don’t want to be turning on or exciting a muscle that’s already overactive or turning off a muscle that’s already underactive,” says Scantlebury. “Over time, that can cause even more damage. Getting some education from a licensed professional is tremendously valuable.”
Experts can become Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioners (CKTP), but here’s a little lesson on what taping looks like for different body parts and problems:
Shin Splints: This pain occurs when you overload the muscles in the front of your lower leg causing inflammation in the muscle, tendon, and bone. A pro will tape from just below the outside of your knee to just beneath the base of your big toe, then tape additional strips the length of the full width of your shin laterally over your pain points.
Knee Pain: One of the most common issues for runners, knee pain typically stems from imbalances or weak glutes. Your doc will place two strips on the quad muscle and then run them down the right and left of the knee cap to create a teardrop shape, Wickham says. Finally, one strip will run across the other two, below the knee cap.
Plantar Fasciitis: If you overload the connective tissue that runs from your heel to the base of your toes, you’ll feel heel pain, frequently when you wake up. A physical therapist will likely put one strip down the bottom of the foot with another strip crossing the first on the arch of the foot, Wickham says.
Achilles Tendon Pain: Too much stress can tighten and overwork the large tendon connecting the two major calf muscles—the gastrocnemius and soleus—to the back of the heel bone. Your pro will likely place one strip starting at the mid-calf down to the bottom of the foot, then cross another strip over the back of the heel/ankle, Wickham says.
General Muscle Pain: If you’re experiencing general soreness or want more support for a muscle, a professional might place two strips (or cut one strip into a “Y” shape) to border the area, Lou says. One small study of 15 people found that KT tape may improve the strength of fatigued quads.
Swelling: If you rolled or tweaked a joint, and it is inflamed, a doc might make small projections off the anchor point of the tape (so it looks like an octopus) and lay it with no stretch over the swollen area, Lou says.
The Caveat to KT Tape
There’s a pretty major catch to kinesio tape: Not a whole lot of evidence proves that it reduces swelling or pain, or that it increases muscle function, as experts claim. A systematic review published in 2018, found no compelling evidence to show that KT tape enhances performance. Another systematic review published in 2020, which focused specifically on tendinopathy (or tendon conditions that cause pain and swelling), revealed that little evidence showed that KT tape treats these types of injuries beyond the short-term.
The physical therapists surveyed in 2021 said they used kinesiology tape for pain modulation, neuro-sensory feedback, neuromuscular re-education, post-injury treatment, myofascial mobility, and perhaps most interestingly, the “placebo effect.” In fact, “a substantial portion of respondents also believed KT only creates a physiological placebo.”
What kind of KT tape should you use?
There are plenty of kinesiology tape options out there, and what you use tends to be a matter of personal preference. Synthetic tapes tend to be more supportive over longer periods, such as a marathon, while cotton tapes are softer and a little less supportive.
Whichever one you go with, make sure to wipe the area you’re going to tape with alcohol before applying to remove dirt or lotions that could mess with the adherence. When you take it off, “don’t rip it off like an adhesive bandage, which can leave a scar,” Scantlebury says. “Instead, push the skin away from the tape instead of peeling the tape from the skin.”
And remember: It’s best to have a professional apply the tape.
KT Tape KT Tape Original
RockTape Kinesiology Tape
StrengthTape Precut Roll
