The benefits of kinesiology tape, the colorful tape stretched across the limbs that seems to be on every athlete these days, may be more in the mind than in the muscles.
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In a new, large-scale analysis, published Tuesday in BMJ Evidence-based Medicine, Chinese researchers reviewed more than 100 studies involving 15,812 participants who used kinesiology tape therapy for musculoskeletal disorders, including arthritis, osteoporosis and back and neck pain.
Kinesiology tape, also called KT tape, is a flexible, adhesive cotton tape that is often seen attached to athletes’ joints, limbs or large muscle areas. It is developed as a treatment and prevention for sports injuries, joint stabilization and pain management. Tennis champion Serena Williams has worn it on her cheek and Olympic athletes, especially women’s volleyball players, have used it everywhere.
The new study concluded that the tape may provide quick and short-term pain relief and may improve leg function, but the evidence is “highly inconclusive” and the general effects of kinesiology tape are inconsistent.
The researchers, who did not respond to a request for comment, noted that KT may “improve specific outcomes” that may have a positive impact on patient performance. Those findings “should not be ignored,” the researchers wrote.
In other words, it is possible that a positive placebo effect is actually occurring, scientists suggest.
It’s not exactly clear how kinesiology tape works, but previous research suggests that it promotes healing by elevating the skin around the injured ligament, increasing circulation. It may also relieve pain by reducing inflammation and swelling around pain receptors and blood vessels.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, physical therapists often recommend that patients tape the Achilles tendon, back, knees or soles of their feet.
KT tape may provide temporary relief, but there is “a lot of ambiguity” about the benefits, says Dr. Rachel Frank, professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
“This study does not show that there is a significant clinical benefit,” said Frank, who was not involved in the new study. “So generally when recommended by a health care professional, KT taping is not a stand-alone treatment, and it certainly does not replace routine rehabilitation and other medical procedures.”
Wearing a KT for an extra ‘edge’
In a 2021 online survey of members of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, the Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy and the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy, 40% of respondents said they used tape as a placebo for their patients.
The placebo effect can help people “feel better” even if the tape has no effect on their body, Frank said.
That may not be a bad thing, says Joshua Gellert, a board-certified clinical psychologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
The tape can increase the amount of “sensory feedback” in the body, which can make people feel physically supported, said Gellert, who was not involved in the new research.
“It can improve a sense of security,” he said. “If you didn’t feel safe in your body after an injury, that can create a lot of patterns of unintentional compensation or avoidance of movement.”
Gellert says the extra “edge” coverage it can provide is why professional athletes often wear it on the field.
Should you use KT tape?
Although KT can cause skin irritation, especially in older adults with thin skin, if it helps, keep using it.
However, after an injury, taping should be the second treatment, experts say.
Similarly, new research has agreed that the benefits of tapping pale in comparison to other interventions such as exercise.
For those injured, Gellert recommends the “pillars of recovery,” including good sleep, hydration and nutrition. Strength training and a high-protein diet also help.
“There are many things in medicine where if they don’t hurt and the patients feel like they are benefiting, we don’t tell them to put it down,” said Frank.
