A Japanese chiropractor by the name of Kenzo Kase, D.C., flipped the sports world on its head when he created the Kinesio Taping Method and Kinesio Tex Tape. Prior to this, athletes only had the white athletic tape or perhaps elasticon tape which would dramatically reduce range of motion.
Dr. Kase says, “Elastic therapeutic taping is a valuable chiropractic tool in treating many different conditions. These include muscle sprain and strain; shoulder tension; headaches; dizziness; thoracic outlet syndrome; herniated disc; sacroiliitis; arthritis in the hip; fractured ribs; whiplash and associated disorders; degenerative joint disease; and a whole range of sports injuries.”
“I think kinesiotape or kinesiotaping helps patients get back to doing the things they love faster, especially competing,” states Dr. Andrew Cohen, a chiropractor in the Financial District of San Francisco. There is also some good research behind it:
Dr. Kase writes, “A 2009 study of 41 patients with whiplash after car accidents was published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT). Researchers noted immediate pain relief and improvements in range of motion after the application of elastic therapeutic tape. The study concluded, “Patients with acute WAD [whiplash-associated disorders], receiving an application of [elastic therapeutic tape], applied with proper tension, exhibited statistically significant improvements immediately following application of the [tape] and at a 24-hour follow-up.”
“It is possible that the tension applied by the real application might have provided neural feedback to the patients during neck movement, thus facilitating their ability to move the neck with a reduced mechanical irritation of the soft tissues,” the 2009 study suggested. “The tension in the tape may have also created tension in the soft tissue structures when the patient returned the head to a neutral position. Further, it is also possible that tension in the tape provided afferent stimuli, facilitating pain inhibitory mechanisms (gate control theory), thereby reducing the patients’ pain levels. Further, because increased mechanical sensitization is a feature of patients with acute WAD, it is possible that the tape decreased pain by way of inhibitory mechanisms. Finally, because fear of movement is associated with pain intensity in patients with acute WAD, it may be possible that the application of [therapeutic] tape provides a proper sensory feedback to the patients, decreasing fear of movement, thus improving neck pain and range of motion.”
In Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, a 2004 case study looked at traumatic patella dislocation. Diane J. Osterhues wrote: “A major focus of rehabilitation is improvement in post-dislocation strength, pain, and swelling. Although re-evaluation revealed muscle atrophy and pain with eccentric loading activities, the patient felt her pain, stability, and quadriceps activation were subjectively improved with tape application. [Functional evaluation] suggests [elastic therapeutic tape] application during rehabilitation may enhance strength, balance, coordination, mobility and control necessary for participation in sports or occupational activities safely and with reduced risk of injury.”
“The tape may have had an indirect effect on the damaged retinacular tissue through local edema control as well as mediating pain responses. Elastic tape may also contribute to a reduction in pain resulting in higher functional activity levels,” Osterhues concluded.
Another study, published in JOSPT in 2008, found that ‘pain-free abduction ROM in the treatment group immediately improved’.”
-Taken from an article written by Dr. Kase.
Posted via email from ProActive Chiropractic in San Francisco, California