This time we will discuss knee exercises and Kinesio taping.
Kinesio taping may or may not be counted as a complementary medicine, but have you ever done it yourself or given it to others?
If you are a taping practitioner, you may know that there seems to be a difference at the time of application, but after some time, you may not be able to tell.
What is the effect of such Kinesio taping? Here is a study that investigates the effects of Kinesio taping.
Contents of the study
The study was designed to evaluate the effects of Kinesio taping in various directions and tensions on the strength of the rectus femoris muscle and the range of motion of the knee in healthy people.
A randomized controlled trial was employed and participants were randomly assigned to two groups.
One group received Kinesio taping applied from the origin to the stop, and the other group received Kinesio taping applied from the stop to the origin.
In addition, the dominant limb in both groups received kinesio taping applied to the rectus femoris muscle (experimental limb), and the non-dominant limb was used as the control for the study.
Three assessments were performed on each subject at different time points (baseline, after application, and 24 hours later).
These assessments were performed at 0%, 10%, and 75% tension.
Prior to the first evaluation for each subject, the patellar tendon was subjected to continuous vibration for 20 minutes.
There were 42 participants, comprising 79% women and 21% men, with a mean age of 20.5 (SD = 4.6) and a mean body mass index of 18.7 (SD = 2.34).
There were no differences in the results of the assessment items between the groups.The study results suggest that the use of Kinesio taping in healthy individuals does not alter muscle strength or increase range of motion.
This does not apply to symptomatic patients and would need to be tested separately.
Discussion
Kinesio taping is a technique developed in Japan by Kenzo Kase in 1976 that uses an elastic tape, Kinesiotex tape, which is applied in a specific way.
Kinesio taping is also made of a different material than other tapes and has the purpose of facilitating an increase in somatosensory stimulation, promoting mechanoreceptor and intrinsic sensory input, inhibiting, activating, and adding to many other mechanical effects.
According to recent literature, there have been many studies on Kinesio taping in relation to muscle strength and ROM.
In one of the systematic reviews and meta-analyses on kinesio taping and muscle strength, the authors concluded that kinesio taping does not increase muscle strength in healthy individuals and that the effect is probably independent of the taping muscle.
Positive results, such as reduced time with kinesio taping, have been found to have benefits related to peak torque.
There have also been a few studies such as this one that found decreased travel time in dorsiflexion and increased peak torque in the gastrocnemius, but on the other hand did not find positive results.It is not uncommon to find such conflicting results, but the results of no change after application are becoming more and more noticeable.
Some people may be convinced that the results are different from the research results because the clinical situation is different.
I myself have had many opportunities to apply something similar to Kinesio taping, but I recognize that the benefit of taping is minimal.
If anything, I was doing it for the mental benefits rather than the mechanical benefits, so I think the way it is applied should look good.
Lemos TV, Júnior JRS, Santos MGRD, Rosa MMN, Silva LGCD, Matheus JPC. Kinesio Taping effects with different directions and tensions on strength and range of movement of the knee: a of movement of the knee: a randomized controlled trial. Braz J Phys Ther. 2018;22(4):283-290. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2018.04.001
Conclusion
The effects of Kinesio taping may not be meaningful for healthy people.
In another study, the effect did not change even if the method of application (direction of application) was ignored, so it may be a waste of time to try hard to learn these techniques.
It may have been just a fad.
