What is Kinesio® tape?
Kinesio® tape is a stretchy tape often used by athletes for recovering injuries. It has caught attention with its bright colors, strange taping patterns.
Objections
It utilizes a different taping technique from other athletic tapes, as it works differently. Instead of simply providing support and limiting range of motion, Kinesio tape produces tension on the skin. As the tension lifts the skin from the tissue, less pressure is placed on sensory neurons, thus reducing pain. The lifting of skin also increases blood and lymph circulation. This reduces inflammation and facilitates healing. Its stretchy nature also provides support to muscles and joints, while still allowing for range of motion during sports.
In the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, many high-profile athletes such as beach volleyball star Kerri Walsh wore black Kinesio tape on her shoulder. Even in soccer, Kinesio tape was seen sported by superstar David Beckham. By the London 2012 Olympics, almost every player of every sport was using Kinesio tape.
However, athletes are known to embrace products of pseudoscience to improve their performance.
Answers to Objections
Kinesio tape claims to re-educate the neuromuscular system, reduce inflammation, prevent injury and promote good circulation and healing, and assist in returning the body to homeostasis. However, little scientific evidence has been found to support Kinesio taping. Despite the various studies on Kinesio taping and musculoskeletal injury, many of them lack quality. The few studies that are reliable say that it only may possibly provide lessened inflammation and short-term pain relief. On whether Kinesio tape is able to speed up healing, prevent further injury, or provide flexible support, studies have mixed or inconclusive findings.
While the Olympic athletes of 2008 were seen using Kinesio tape, the use of the tape was not heard of prior to that year’s Olympics. In fact, the Kinesio company donated 50,000 rolls of the tape to 58 countries for the Olympic games. Sure, the Olympic athletes did not have endorsement deals with Kinesio; however, its prevalence in the games suggests that the 2008 Olympic athletes felt obliged to use the tape despite not having much experience with it before.
Conclusion
Therefore, Kinesio tape is a scam that gained popularity through marketing and placebo effect.
References
- https://www.businessinsider.com/olympic-athlete-tape-body-kinesio-2016-7
- https://well.blogs.nytimes. com/2008/08/19/a-quirky-athletic-tape-gets-its-olympic-moment/
- https://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/10/health/olympics-kinesio-tape/index.html
- Mostafavifar, M., Wertz, J., Borchers, J. (2012). A systematic review of the effectiveness of kinesio taping for musculoskeletal injury. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 40(4), 33-40. doi: 10.3810/psm.2012.11.1986.
- Williams, S., Whatman, C., Hume, P., & Sheerin, K. (2011). Kinesio taping in treatment and prevention of sports injuries a meta-analysis of the evidence for its effectiveness. Sports medicine, 42, 153-64. 10.2165/11594960-000000000-00000.
Irene 