What is Kinesio Taping?
The Kinesio Taping® Method is a definitive rehabilitative taping technique that is designed to facilitate the body’s natural healing process while providing support and stability to muscles and joints without restricting the body’s range of motion as well as providing extended soft tissue manipulation to prolong the benefits of manual therapy administered within the clinical setting. Latex-free and wearable for days at a time, Kinesio® Tex Tape is safe for populations ranging from pediatric to geriatric, and successfully treats a variety of orthopedic, neuromuscular, neurological and other medical conditions. The Kinesio® Taping Method is a therapeutic taping technique not only offering your patient the support they are looking for, but also rehabilitating the affected condition as well. By targeting different receptors within the somatosensory system, Kinesio® Tex Tape alleviates pain and facilitates lymphatic drainage by microscopically lifting the skin.  This lifting affect forms convolutions in the skin thus increasing interstitial space and allowing for a decrease in inflammation of the affected areas.

Based upon years of clinical use, Kinesio® Tex Tape is specifically applied to the patient based upon their needs after evaluation.  The findings of the clinical evaluation or assessment dictate the specifics of the Kinesio® Tex Tape application and other possible treatments or modalities.  With the utilization of single “I” strips or modifications in the shape of an “X”, “Y” or other specialized shapes as well as the direction and amount of stretch placed on the tape at time of application, Kinesio® Tex Tape can be applied in hundreds of ways and has the ability to re-educate the neuromuscular system, reduce pain and inflammation, enhance performance, prevent injury and promote good circulation and healing, and assist in returning the body to homeostasis.

The Kinesio Benefit
Evaluation and assessment are key in the treatment of any clinical condition.  In order to get the desired results from a Kinesio Tex Tape application as well as any other treatment, a full assessment of your patient is necessary. In some cases, the treatment of a condition may require treatment of other underlying conditions as well.  This assessment should include manual muscle testing, range of motion testing, gait assessment, and any other orthopedic special tests that you deem necessary.  The information gained from these assessments will allow for the proper treatment protocol to be laid out.  Kinesio Tex Tape can be a valuable addition to this protocol.  It has been proven to have positive physiological effects on the skin, lymphatic and circulatory system, fascia, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints. It can be used in conjunction with a multitude of other treatments and modalities within your clinic and is effective during the rehabilitative and chronic phases on an injury as well as being used for preventative measures.

 

Conditions Treated
Kinesio treats a wide variety of conditions due to its ability to alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, relax the muscles, enhance performance and facilitate rehabilitation while supporting muscles in movement.

Kinesio® Tex can assist many conditions including:

TMJ Dysfunction
Headaches (tension)
Whiplash
Torticollis
Shoulder Impingement/Subluxation
Rotator Cuff Tear
Bicipital Tendonitis
Tennis/Golfers Elbow
Compartment Syndrome
Trigger Finger
Forward Shoulder
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Shin Splits
Foot Drop
Herniated Disk
Sciatica
De Quervains
Low Back Sprain/Strain
Sacroiliac Sprain/Strain
Piriformis Syndrome
Quadriceps Strain
Toe Cramps
Sprained Ankle
Meniscus Tear (minor)
Osteoarthritis of Knee
Calf Cramps
Plantar Fascitis
Bunions
Post Operative/Traumatic Oedema
Hamstring Strain
Bells Palsy
Headaches (Migraine)
Tinnitis (SCM cause)
Frozen Shoulder

 

For published articles and case studies on the effects of Kinesio Taping, please click here