Kinesio taping is a special technique using elastic tapes that support muscles, joints and the lymphatic system, relieves pain and promotes mobility.
- Application: Injuries of the musculature, dysfunctional lymph drainage, bony defects, e.g. kneecap correction
- Effect: normalization of resting tone, pain reduction, Improvement of endurance
Improvement of muscle function
- Overloading of the muscular apparatus
- Ruptures in muscle tissue
- Pain, stiffness, swelling and increased muscle tone
- Improved muscular function
Ruptures in the muscular tissue can occur when the muscular apparatus is overloaded. When fluid escapes into the interstitial spaces, an increase in pressure occurs; this causes pressure and stimulates the pain sensors.
Consequences include pain, stiffness, swelling and increased muscle tone. Tone changes are the most frequent diagnostic findings on the movement apparatus.
In both cases, the Kinesio Taping method can treat the musculature and improve muscular functioning.
Removing circulatory constraints
Inflammation is often the body’s reaction to tissue damage. Along with fluid leakage into the injured area, inflammation leads to swelling, which requires space, and an increase in pressure between the skin and the muscles. Lymph flow is disturbed or stagnated.
The Kinesio Taping system can raise the skin, thus increasing the space in this area and effecting a reduction in pressure; the end result is an improvement in lymphatic circulation.
Pain reduction
Through the adhesion of the tape to the skin and the resulting mechanical displacement when body movements are executed, the skin’s mechanoreceptors are irritated. This results in pain relief directly at the spinal level. The incoming afferent of the mechanoreceptors in the spinal cord activate inhibitory filter cells in the brain stem and thus reduce the amount of pain perceived.
Supporting joint function
Various Kinesio Taping techniques can support joint function. Imbalances are corrected through influencing the muscle tone, and balance in the muscle groups is established. Through stimulating proprioception, a better sense of movement is achieved. Functional and mechanical correction systems, together with passive support, result in an improvement in joint function, dampening pain and thus shortening the healing process.
Basic functions and effects of Kinesio Taping
Kinesio Taping Therapy is applied using four basic techniques, which may be performed separately or in combination, in accordance with various indications
1. Muscular Techniques
Muscular techniques are used with increased or reduced resting muscle tone (hypertonus, hypotonia) and with injuries to the musculature. They help normalize resting tone, relieve pain and improve resilience, which results in faster healing.
2. Ligament Techniques
Ligament techniques are used to treat injuries and overloaded tendons and ligaments. They help ease strain, reduce pain and improve resilience.
3. Correction Techniques
There are two types of correction systems: functional correction and fascia correction. Functional correction is applied to bony defects, e.g. corrections of the kneecap, and helps correct misalignment. Fascia corrections are used to treat adhesions of muscle fascia, causing a loosening of the fascia and pain relief.
4. Lymphatic Techniques
Lymphatic techniques used to treat improper lymph drainage. Lymphatic techniques raise the skin. The space between the skin and the subcutaneous tissue is thus enlarged, allowing the lymphatic fluid to flow more easily into the lymph system through the interstices.
These four taping techniques, together with combinations thereof, give Kinesio Taping Therapy a very broad range of applications.
