Kinesio-Taping K-tape kinesiology strips

These colored bands have become very famous, especially in the sports world, and are called K-tape, K-taping, Kinésio taping or Tape for the short version.

Here is the explanation of these bands, their forms, as well as their mode of operation.

When I started training in K-taping, it was following the requests of some of the athletes I was following in order to be more efficient in the treatment of athletes. From the first minutes of training, I understood that K-taping was not only applicable to everyone but that it would be a very good complementary tool to osteopathy. Thanks to its 24-hour action for 5 days, these tapes allow a prolongation of treatments, especially osteopathic treatments but also physiotherapy.

Thus, the installation of these bands is possible for everyone: sportsmen, sedentary, pregnant women, babies, workers, etc. A type of bandage has even been developed for animals, particularly in the equestrian environment. 

The strip is glued to the skin with a certain amount of tension. The tension and the shape of the glue application will allow the skin to be lifted slightly and thus limit the compression of the subcutaneous structures. In certain positions, the tape will have convolutions, which are small waves that will allow the skin to be lifted. The k-tape allows 4 effects:

Under the skin, there are small neurological receptors called mechanoreceptors. These are the ones that inform the brain of a problem in the area when they are compressed. Thus, by lifting the skin, the k-tape allows these receptors to be decompressed, giving the patient a feeling of less pain.

The skin crushes the lymphatic channels like a foot pressing lightly on a garden hose. When the skin is lifted (or the foot in the hose situation), the hose in this case the "lymphatic channels" are less compressed and the lymphatic flow is improved, as is the blood circulation. 

The tape allows to maintain a joint without totally immobilizing it. It is possible to adapt the placement of the tape according to the desired objective and the structure that you wish to support (ligaments, muscles, tendons, fasciae). This limits the stress on the joint and encourages it to work in a balanced way. In this way, kinesiotaping allows a return to homeostasis, i.e., it promotes the body's balance.

With its different cutting and laying techniques, the kinesio taping bands will adapt to each structure and treat them specifically. These bands act on ligaments, tendons, muscles, joints, fascias, skin, etc. but also on viscera. This part is much less known but brings relief to the patient. 

None!!

At the time of the creation of kinesiotaping, Kenzo Kaze, based on chromotherapy (color therapy), thought that there was a difference between colors. For example, in the case of inflammation, it was assumed that a blue band, i.e. a cold band, should be used to combat the heat of the inflammation. On the other hand, when there was a need for heat, such as to warm up a muscle, warmth was preferred and therefore pink bands.

The inventor's research showed that the color of the bands had no influence on the effectiveness of the band. The chapter on the influence of color was therefore removed from his book.

Nevertheless, the black color is better captured by the sun, so we will more easily put black k-tape on parts of the body of a patient that would be exposed to the sun such as a calf in an athlete. Thus, the glue will better fix the kinesiotape.

Rest assured, if your therapist has a choice, you will be allowed to choose the color(s) you prefer according to your taste.

I'm sure that in kindergarten you were very good at cutting and that you can find some brands of kinesio-taping at decathlon or at Lidl with an explanatory booklet, but in reality the application of kinesio-taping is not so easy!

To apply k-tape, it is essential to have a perfect knowledge of the anatomy of the human body in order to apply the tapes on the right structure. It would be a shame, even deleterious, to "hit" the wrong muscle or to be half on a ligament and half on a tendon...

It is also necessary to perfectly control the tension that is exerted on the band (there are 3 different places of tension for the simplest bands and it can go up to much more on the same band).  

Do not hesitate to consult an osteopath, a physiotherapist, a chiropractor or even a podiatrist who are specialized in the application of these bands. Beware, few practitioners are really trained in kinesiotaping, many have followed a vague initiation but few master this technique.

• Apply K-tape at least 2 hours before sweating: Having a tape applied 10 minutes before the start of a race is not ideal and is often unnecessary!
• Do not have K-tape applied to a wound.
• Place the strip on a "dry and clean" skin (no cream or oil) otherwise the strip will not stick
• Put the strip on a skin without hairs (don't panic, your hairs will grow back as new after a stroke of the clippers).
• Have the kinesio taping done by trained professionals who know the anatomy as well as the cutting and application techniques.
• Do not use a hair dryer to dry the band or really only superficially to avoid the glue melting and burning your skin. Simply pat the strip with a towel.

The applications of the tape are numerous, these bands can act on a muscle, a tendon, a ligament, a joint, etc., but there are also different techniques of application for different effects. Here are the main ones:

Kinesiotaping will allow to supplement a muscle, to stimulate it or to put it at rest. Typically, after an osteopathy session, some muscles remain contracted, it is necessary to let the body react and relax these muscles, but in some cases the muscular contraction is so important that it reblocks the joints worked by your osteopath. Also, the period of waiting for muscle relaxation can be painful, supplementing the muscles will relieve your pain.

By positioning the band on the joint, kinesiotaping will be able to stabilize the joint and/or improve joint range of motion. For example, in the case of a shoulder that is positioned too far forward, we can place a band so that it holds the shoulder back without preventing the shoulder's mobility. This will inform the body for 5 days and prevent it from repositioning itself directly after a session. Thus, it optimizes the work of the osteopath or the physiotherapist.

The purpose of the K-tape in functional is to help the movement, so we will use it as a rubber band and help the desired movement through the recall of the band. This technique is very effective for people who have lost mobility in a joint such as a loss of flexion in the arm or knee...

"Space" means "space" in English, so as its name indicates, the aim of this k-tape application is to create space, to optimize the lifting of the skin to limit the stimuli on the mechanoreceptors. This will therefore have an analgesic effect, i.e. pain relief.

This is the most impressive application technique because we can visually see the difference between the before, the application and the after. In this case, the purpose of the tape is to drain an edema or a hematoma. This technique is more and more used in the hospital in post surgery to drain the edema and the hematoma and thus accelerate the recovery time of the patient. 

• Duration 5 days: The bands last 5 days and keep their elasticity for 5 days unlike the strapping. After this period, it is not necessary to keep them since their elasticity is less, so even if it is nice it is not necessary to keep them for 2 weeks! On the feet and hands, the bands tend to hold a little less long, especially in summer, because of perspiration. Beware, many brands are less efficient and lose their elasticity more quickly.
• Hydrophobic: kinesiotaping bands are water resistant. Many swimmers use the K tape in training, outside of competition (swimming federations prohibit these bands because they are considered technical doping). This particularity of the tape allows you to shower with the tapes without them losing their elasticity unlike strapping.
• Pretty: I'm kidding of course but many are happy to have lots of pretty colors with beautiful shapes to adorn their bodies. Might as well combine business with pleasure!