Applications for Biomechanical Taping and Kinesiotaping in Athletics

Abstract

Background:

Kinesiology taping (KT) is a popular therapeutic modality used by athletes for sports performance enhancement. The objective of this presentation is to demonstrate appropriate KT techniques for a variety of pathologies among athletes.

Indications:

KT can be used to enhance athletic performance by improving strength, range of motion, and proprioception. Several application sites are commonly used in athletics for various pathologies.

Technique Description:

A variety of KT techniques are applied to specific joints to support athletic performance. For the ankle, the tape is applied beginning on the lateral surface of the leg, wrapping around the lateral ankle, and ending on the dorsal aspect of the foot. For the foot, a “figure 8” is applied over the metatarsal heads and along the dorsum of the foot for stability and pain control. Long Y strips are utilized to help reduce muscle fatigue and improve range of motion of the calf and shoulder, namely, the deltoid and supraspinatus muscle groups in the latter application. KT strips are used to guide the patella into a more desirable position to address patellar tracking and pain. For the biceps, an I strip of kinesiology tape is applied across its entire length from the distal insertion to the origin to enhance muscle strength and torque.

Results:

Evidence supports KT for short-term improvements in muscle balance, fatigue resistance, range of motion, and pain control.

Discussion/Conclusion:

There appears to be a role for KT in meeting short-term athletic demands such as muscle balance, fatigue resistance, range of motion, and pain control across a variety of muscle groups. The use of proper KT technique maximizes its effectiveness as a therapeutic tool for athletes and minimizes the risk of undesirable side effects.

Patient Consent Disclosure Statement:

The author(s) attests that consent has been obtained from any patient(s) appearing in this publication. If the individual may be identifiable, the author(s) has included a statement of release or other written form of approval from the patient(s) with this submission for publication.

Graphical Abstract

This is a visual representation of the abstract.

Video Transcript

This project was completed in collaboration between the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, as well as Longwood University Sports Medicine.

None of the authors have any disclosures relevant to this work.

Our objectives are to provide a background on kinesiology taping, which will be referred to as KT going forward. We will describe common applications among athletes and provide video demonstrations of KT techniques that may benefit athletic performance.

Background

KT is a popular therapeutic modality used by athletes for performance enhancement. Specifically, KT is thought to support athletes by decreasing pain or discomfort and increasing range of motion and proprioception in a variety of athletic settings.^7,9 It is important that proper KT technique is used when applying tape to an athlete, as it maximizes the chances of achieving these performance goals while minimizing undesirable side effects. ¹

KT can be applied to many sites, including but not limited to the ankle, Achilles tendon, foot, patella, shoulder, and biceps.

With regard to the ankle, KT can be used in the setting of chronic ankle instability among athletes with a history of recurrent ankle sprains by tensioning against inversion injury and decreasing one's pain perception. ³

One such technique was described by de-la-Torre-Domingo and colleagues ³ to address chronic ankle instability as presented in Appendix A (available in the online version of this article).

Technique Description

A similar technique is demonstrated in the video below. To apply the first strip, have the subject dorsiflex and evert their ankle. Apply the strip at the medial malleolus at 0% tension, then bring the tape under the calcaneus and back over the lateral malleolus as well as the talus, as shown in the video. Finish applying the first strip by bringing the tape up in a spiral such that the tape terminates anteriorly at the level of the mid-tibia. Apply the second strip beginning over the first metatarsal, then create a “figure 8” by wrapping the tape over the anterior ankle, beneath the foot, and ending back over the lateral malleolus in 0% tension, as presented in the video.

KT can be applied to the foot to enhance performance and modulate pain in conditions such as plantar fasciitis. ⁵

The next technique is a modified version of that described by García-Gomariz and colleagues, ⁵ which demonstrated favorable short-term pain control compared to control taping.

In this demonstration, first apply the first strip over the metatarsal heads at 50% stretch with the foot inverted and the great toe in flexion, then finish applying the ends of the strip at 0% stretch. Then, apply a similar second strip along the dorsum of the foot at 0% stretch as well. Apply the next strip to the sole of the foot, beginning at the fifth metatarsal head, then wrap the tape behind the calcaneus at a 50% stretch, applying the end at a 0% stretch. Follow this with another strip applied in a similar pattern starting from the first metatarsal head, wrapping the tape behind the calcaneus at a 50% stretch, again applying the end of the strip at 0% stretch. To close off this modified application, place a final strip directly over the calcaneus along the lateral foot at a 50% stretch such that the strip terminates at the first and fifth metatarsal, as shown in the video. Next, apply a strip over the sole of the foot at an angle as shown so the strip ends at the dorsum of the foot. Finally, apply one last strip for closure with the middle at 10% tension and the ends at 0% tension, as shown in the video.

Additionally, KT has been shown to improve athletic performance by reducing muscle fatigue in the calf or the Achilles. ⁶

The pictured KT technique, described by Rana and colleagues, ⁶ was associated with decreased calf fatigue while participating in sport, also as presented in Appendix A (available online).

A similar application is demonstrated in the present video. Prior to the application, prepare the first KT strip by creating a cut along the middle of the strip while leaving the last 15% of the strip intact. With the ankle in neutral, anchor the first strip at the calcaneus with a 0% stretch. Then, stretch both portions of the strip to 50% and apply them to either side of the gastrocnemius, terminating the application just below the popliteal fossa at a 0% stretch. Prepare the second strip by creating a cut down the middle of the tape. Apply the strip directly across the site of pain, that being the Achilles tendon in this depiction, with 50% stretch in the middle of the tape and 0% stretch at the ends.

KT can also improve patellar stability by preventing patellar maltracking and improve pain control in patellofemoral pain syndrome. ²

Chang et al. ² demonstrated a KT technique that conferred pain relief to subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome, as presented in Appendix A (available online).

Following the same principles, the technique depicted in this video seeks to improve patellar tracking and improve patellofemoral pain syndrome. Begin the application by applying a strip in the shape of the letter “U” around the patella to guide the patella into the desired position. Depending on the subject's anatomy, the strip may be applied at 50% tension or greater. Complete the application by placing a KT strip across the patellar tendon at 50% stretch.

KT can help athletes achieve full range of motion at joints such as the shoulder to meet the demands of their respective physical activities. ⁸

The present technique described by Thelen and colleagues ⁸ was associated with improvements in pain-free shoulder range of motion, as presented in Appendix A (available online).

A similar technique is demonstrated in this video. Have the subject retract the scapula before application. Begin with the tape in 0% stretch, then wrap the first strip around the deltoid and over the acromioclavicular (AC) joint, now increased to a 25% stretch. Repeat this process in the opposite direction as shown, but complete the application of the second strip at 0% stretch. Still in scapula retraction, apply a third strip across the deltoid with 25% stretch in the middle of the tape and 0% at each end of the tape.

KT may be applied to the biceps to increase muscle force during physical activities involving the upper extremity. ⁴

One such application was described by Fratocchi and colleagues, ⁴ in which KT demonstrated increased elbow torque compared to placebo taping when KT was applied longitudinally along the biceps brachii, as presented in Appendix A (available online).

The technique demonstrated in this video follows a very similar principle but instead involves 2 strips. Have the subject retract both scapulae. Apply the first strip over the biceps tendon and continue over the AC joint, ending in 0% tension. Apply the second strip over the humeral head.

Conclusion

To summarize, KT has gained popularity among athletes over the past several decades for its purported benefits to performance enhancement. There appears to be a role for KT in meeting short-term athletic demands such as muscle balance, fatigue resistance, range of motion, and pain control, as discussed in the literature presented today. KT can provide support to athletes facing a variety of sports medicine pathologies, including the ankle and Achilles, the foot, the calf, the patella, the shoulder, and the biceps.

We would like to acknowledge the following entities and people for their contribution and support in this project.

The aforementioned references are cited as follows.

Thank you for your time.

Supplemental Material

sj-pdf-1-vjs-10.1177_26350254241282695 – Supplemental material for Applications for Biomechanical Taping and Kinesiotaping in Athletics

Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-vjs-10.1177_26350254241282695 for Applications for Biomechanical Taping and Kinesiotaping in Athletics by Brigitte Lieu, Suhas Rao Velichala, Carl Edge, Leah Dunagan and J. Brett Goodloe in Video Journal of Sports Medicine