Taping

Introduction[edit | edit source]

Taping is commonly used as an adjunct or temporary technique.[1] Athletes often make use of taping as a protective mechanism in the presence of an existing injury. Some of the goals with taping are to restrict the movement of injured joints, soft tissue compression to reduce swelling. support anatomical structures, and as protection from re-injury. Taping is used as one of the means of rehabilitation or prophylaxis in instances where support and stability are needed, as a first-aid tool, for the prevention of injury and protection of an injured anatomical structure while healing is taking place.[1]

Intended Purpose and Effect of Taping Techniques[edit | edit source]

The tape is commonly used by physiotherapists to:

  • relieve your pain
  • improve joint stability
  • enhance athlete confidence
  • reduce injury recurrence
  • prevent injury
  • reduce strain on injured or vulnerable tissues
  • correct faulty biomechanics
  • inhibit muscle action
  • facilitate muscle action
  • enhance proprioception
  • compress in the presence of edema or lymphatic drainage[2]

Some of these purposes may be achieved through a combination of these possible effects of taping:

  • mechanical effects
  • neuromuscular effects
  • psychological effects

There are different kinds of tape that can be employed:

  • Rigid strapping tape commonly used in taping or strapping is often referred to as "sports tape" or "athletic tape" and is most often a rigid style of strapping tape.
  • Elastic strapping tape can also be used when less rigidity or support is required.
  • Kinesiology tape is an improved version of elastic sports tape that acts to dynamically assist your muscle function.

Aims of Taping[edit | edit source]

Tape may be used to:

  1. Stabilize or support an injury
  2. Relieve pain by de-loading vulnerable or painful structures
  3. Facilitate normal movement, muscle action, or postural patterns.

Principles of taping[edit | edit source]

  • Protection of the skin-Check the skin sensitivity of the person to be taped that he is not allergic to the adhesive tape. Make sure there are no existing rash or broken skin in the area to b taped.
  • Hair removal in the area to be taped-It is better if the hair is removed 12 hours prior to the tape application to reduce skin irritation.
  • Clean and prepare the skin
  • The padding of the sensitive areas with adhesive tape.[3]
Types of Taping[edit | edit source]
Kinesio Taping[edit | edit source]

Kinesiology taping (KT) is a therapeutic tool and has become increasingly popular within the sporting arena. Taping has been used for a long time for the prevention and treatment of sporting injuries. KT is not only used for sporting injuries but for a variety of other conditions. It was developed by Japanese Chiropractor Dr. Kenzo Kase in the 1970s with the intention to alleviate pain [4] and improve the healing in soft tissues[5]. There are many proposed benefits to KT, including proprioceptive facilitation; reduced muscle fatigue; muscle facilitation; reduced delayed-onset muscle soreness; pain inhibition; enhanced healing, such as reducing edema, and improvement of lymphatic drainage and blood flow[6].


Mulligan Taping[edit | edit source]

Mobilization with Movement (MWM) developed by Brian Mulligan FNZSP (Hon) of New Zealand is recognized worldwide in manual therapy approaches. His concept is the application of manually applied accessory joint glide with concomitant pain-free active movement. During the development of MWMs, Brian Mulligan discovered that treatment in some patients was enhanced when he utilized taping to compliment the directional forces provided after the MWM treatment bout. Taping is applied in directions that complement the applied MWM passive force to joint or soft tissue.

Read more about Mulligan Taping

McConnell Taping[edit | edit source]

McConnell taping (also known as Patellar Taping) is often used to treat patients with anterior knee pain, more specifically with patients with Chondromalacia Patellae and Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)[7]. The tape corrects the tracking of the patella within the patellar groove by medializing the patella. The technique also stretches lateral soft tissues and strengthens the vastus medialis obliques[8].

Read more about McConnell Taping

Resources[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Singh, G. (2019). Athletic taping and its implications in sports. International Journal on Integrated Education, 2(4), 1-7. Retrieved from http://www.journals.researchparks.org/index.php/IJIE/article/view/96
  2. Constantinou M, Brown M. Chapter 2: Review of the principles and effects in Therapeutic taping for musculoskeletal conditions. Elsevier Health Sciences; 2010 Oct 5
  3. 3M Australia: Health care: Nexcare Sportshttp://www.3m.com/intl/au/nexcare/principles.html Principles of taping.Accessed Sep 1,2020
  4. Liu YH, Chen SM, Lin CH, Huang CI, Sun YN. Motion tracking on elbow tissue from ultrasonic image sequence for patients with alteral epicondylitis.Proceedings of the 29th Annual International Conference of the IEEE EMBS Cite Interbationale, Lyon, France, 2007.
  5. Kahanov L. Kinesio taping, Part 1: An overview of its use in athletes.Athletic Therapy Today 2007;12:17-18.
  6. Basset KT, Lingman SA, Ellis RF. The use and treatment efficacy kinaesthetic taping for musculoskeletal conditions: a systematic review. New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy 2010;38(2):56-62.
  7. Derasari A. et al. McConnell taping shifts the patella inferiorly in patients with patellofemoral pain: a dynamic magnetic resonance imaging study. Journal of the American Physical Therapy association. 2010 March. 90(3): 411–419
  8. Naoko Aminaka and Phillip A Gribble; A Systematic Review of the Effects of Therapeutic Taping on Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome; Journal of Athletic Training; 2005 Oct–Dec; 40(4): 341–351