This page includes instructional videos that will help you to apply Kinesiology Tape to treat various commonly experienced injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow and sprained ankles. Although it is usually better to use the tape under the supervision of a qualified medical practitioner, this is not always possible. If you need to apply the tape without the benefit of this supervision, the videos below will provide valuable guidance. We hope that the contents of this page will help you to answer the question of how to apply kinesiology tape if and when you need to do so without supervision.
As an introduction to the videos, we try to clear up some popular myths about kinesiology tape. We also provide some general rules about applying the tape. In addition, we provide some guidance as to the types of injuries that you can treat with this tape.
Some Facts & Myths About Kinesiology Tape
Before you view the videos, we would like to discuss some common mis-perceptions about kinesiology tape and the role it can play in relieving pain and assisting injury recovery:
- Myth – Kinesiology tape can heal tendon, ligament or joint injuries on its own. Fact – Kinesiology tape can help to supply neurological input that will reduce the pain you feel. It can also provide stability to help heal these injuries. However, it will not heal these injuries on its own. You should supplement your use of Kinesiology RestoreTape with a physical rehabilitation routine that is designed to help heal your injury;
- Myth- Kinesiology tape is difficult to apply and requires years of training before you can do it. Fact- with some basic education, you can learn to apply this tape yourself and gain most of its benefits;
- Myth – the colour of the Kinesiology tape that you use has therapeutic significance. Fact – the color of the tape has no impact whatsoever on its therapeutical effectiveness. The color is of aesthetic value only e.g. if it co-ordinates well with a team uniform.
What Types Of Injuries Can be Treated Using Kinesiology Tape?
You can use Kinesiology tape as an adjunct to your treatment of the following types of conditions:
- Acute soft tissue injuries, e.g. a sprained ankle or a torn shoulder rotator cuff. However, we would not suggest Kinesiology tape as part of the treatment for more serious acute injuries such as bone fractures or concussion, for example.;
- Chronic pain, such as from arthritis;
- Edema;
- Inflammation;
- Problems of incorrect posture, which can sometimes lead to low back pain, for example.
When Is It OK To Stop Using Kinesiology Tape?
An important part of knowing how to apply kinesiology tape is knowing when you can or should stop using it. In general our advice would be that it is OK to discontinue use of this tape once any of the following conditions is satisfied:
- Once your pain has stopped;
- Once your injured joint has regained its normalfunction and/or stability;
- Once your edema has reduced to a barely noticeable level;
- If you experience any skin irritation or allergic reaction.
General Rules For How To Apply Kinesiology Tape
When viewing these videos, please keep in mind the following general rules for applying our Kinesiology Tape:
- Apply the starting and ending sections of the tape, as well as the anchor points, with no stretching of tape or muscles;
- Try to avoid touching the adhesive side of the tape after you have removed the backing. This will help you to get the best performance of the adhesive and minimize the risk that it will start to peel away from your skin prematurely;
- For best results, remove the paper backing in small increments while you are applying the tape. Apply the tape lightly to the skin in small increments also. Keep doing this until you have finished applying the tape;
- Kinesiology RestoreTape uses a heat activated adhesive. Once you have finished applying each section of tape, rub it lightly from start to end a few times. The friction will generate the heat needed to fully activate the adhesive. Once done, you can move on to applying the next section of the tape.
Instructional Videos On Application Of Kinesiology Tape
How To Apply Kinesiology Tape To A Wrist
The video below illustrates application of kinesiology tape for wrist injuries. This will help treat repetitive stress injuries of the wrist such as carpal tunnel syndrome. It can also be used to treat a sprained wrist.
How To Apply Kinesiology Tape To A Knee
In the video below, we illustrate application of kinesiology tape for treating knee injuries. Typical knee injuries that can benefit from this treatment are knee sprains, jumper’s knee and osgood schlatter’s syndrome.
How To Apply Kinesiology Tape To A Shoulder
We illustrate below the application of DynaPro Kinesiology tape to treat an injured shoulder. This can come in useful for treating shoulder impingements and damaged shoulder ligaments, tendons or muscles
How To Apply Kinesiology Tape To An Injured Neck
The video below illustrates application of kinesiology tape to treat neck injuries.
How To Apply Kinesiology RestoreTape To An Injured Elbow
The videa below illustrates how to use kinesiology restoretape to treat an elbow injury such as a strain or tennis or golfers’ elbow.
How To Treat An Injured Foot Using Kinesiology Tape
Foot injuries such as plantar fasciitis or peroneal tendonitis may be managed using kinesiology tape. The video below illustrates how this can be done.
Taping An Injured Back With Kinesiology Tape
Back pain from strained muscles or chronic conditions such as a herniated disk is an increasingly prevalent factor in modern life. In the video below, we illustrate how to treat these injuries and manage the pain they cause using kinesiology tape.
How To Apply Kinesiology Tape To An Injured Ankle
For active individuals, a sprained ankle is probably the number one soft tissue injury they encounter. Fortunately, this and other related ankle injuries can be treated using kinesiology tape using the approach illustrated below.
Conclusion
On this page, we have tried to furnish you with the information you may need if you have to apply kinesiology tape at home. If you have any questions, please consult a qualified physiotherapist for guidance.