What is taping?
Taping or strapping is a common treatment modality or a technique used by physiotherapists for injury prevention or rehabilitation. Several types of tapes and taping methods are used in the treatment of musculoskeletal dysfunction, acute and chronic musculoskeletal complaints, and but are not limited to, pain, function, joint instability, and edema.
Prophylactic use of tape to prevent sporting injuries. At the 2012 Olympic games in London, taping was one of the five most frequently used treatment modalities. Physiotherapists are fully trained in how to apply effective taping depending on your goals of treatment. Physiotherapists can also teach you how to apply the tape yourself so you can continue to experience the benefit.
Benefits of taping
The benefits of taping will depend on your injury. Physiotherapists will aim to encourage some of the following benefits.
Protection of injured soft tissue structures (ligaments, tendons, fascia)
Injury prevention
Encourage normal movement
Quicker return to sport or work
Pain reduction
Improves the stability of a joint
Reduces the risk of re-injury
Reduces swelling
Indications of taping
Taping as part of a treatment program for many injuries and conditions including:
Shoulder injuries
Ankle sprains
Knee pain
Heel pain (plantar fasciitis)
Tendonitis (e.g. tennis elbow)
Muscle strains (e.g. hamstrings, groin, quadriceps)
How can taping help you?
Whether you are recovering from an injury or would like to use taping as an injury prevention technique, taping can help you in the following ways:
Helps to reduce pain by stimulating movement detectors in the nerve. (mechanoreceptors) Which stop messages from passing via pain receptors (nociceptors).
Restrict movements that may cause further damage to an existing injury.
Facilitate the normal healing process of soft tissues.
Support and protect the muscles surrounding an injured joint.
Remove the pressure from an injury.
Helps to reduce swelling.
Provide feedback to the area to correct any abnormal movements.
Provide proprioception (awareness of joints position) to reduce the risk of re-injury.
Improve the coordination of a joint that may be reduced by injury.
Types of tapes used in taping
Rigid (athletic) taping
Kinesio taping
Stretch adhesive taping
Underwrap
Cohesive bandages
Biomechanical taping
Types of taping techniques
Some of these types of taping have been associated with specific therapeutic mechanisms that detail below.
Rigid (athletic) taping
Rigid taping is a tan-colored adhesive strap that is used primarily by athletes to prevent or reduce the chance of injury. Rigid tape, such as leukotape, is frequently applied in a standardized protocol for each joint. The application begins with an under-wrap to reduce skin irritation, with rigid tape applied over the under-wrap on the area of injury. For each joint, a rigid tape protocol is a pattern of multiple straps applied to the body part to secure the joint in a specific position while allowing the individual to participate in the athletic activity.
Kinesio taping
Kinesio tape (KT) was developed as an alternative tape and methodology to the traditional rigid taping materials and methods. After the dramatic increase in its usage during the Olympics, KT has become a popular taping method in daily life, sports, as well as by various health care practitioners. KT is an adhesive elastic tape that comes in numerous colors and patterns that is applied directly to the skin without the need for under-wrap. KT is designed to mimic the elasticity of the skin. Theoretically, the KT is presumed to target different receptors within the somatosensory system with the intent to lessen pain and promote lymphatic drainage by lifting the skin to increase interstitial space.
McConnell taping
McConnell taping (Mc-T) method uses a more rigid, adhesive type of tape similar to the traditional athletic tape. The Mc-T is primarily advocated to help with alignment of the patella in patients with patellofemoral pain, however, the application of Mc-T has been described for other joints, such as the shoulder and hip. A common concern in individuals with patellofemoral pain is that the pain is presumed to be due to incorrect tracking of the patella on the femur. This tape purports to address these problems by attempting to realign the tracking of the knee. This taping method provides proprioception and mechanical pressure on the patella in one specific direction so that the patella can move freely without contacting other parts of the femur during joint articulation and thus reducing pain.
Mulligan taping
Mulligan taping is an adhesive strap method similar to rigid taping. This tape is used as a supplement to the Mulligan mobilization with movement procedure, a therapeutic technique using manual force that is applied to a joint and sustained in a specific direction. The manual therapy technique of Mulligan is intended to allow painless motion of a previously painful joint. After the Mulligan mobilization is conducted, the rigid tape can be applied to the body region in the same direction as the manual force. This is thought to extend the benefit of the mobilization with movement after the treatment session ends.
Complications of tape application
Reduced circulation from tight taping
Skin irritation
Decreased effect of tape with time/sweat
Requires practice to perfect techniques
Patient/athlete becomes reliant on taping
References
https://www.physio.co.uk/treatments/physiotherapy/taping.php
Cupler, Z.A., Alrwaily, M., Polakowski, E., Mathers, K.S. and Schneider, M.J., 2020. Taping for conditions of the musculoskeletal system: an evidence map review. Chiropractic & manual therapies, 28(1), pp.1-21.
Methni Sanjula
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