There's hardly a sporting event where you don't see them: colourful stripes on athletes' bodies. They stick to shoulders, wrap around knees or adorn backs. Since the London 2012 Olympic Games at the latest, they have been as much a part of sport as the national anthem at the awards ceremony. Is it all just for show? Dr Lucia Kühner is convinced: "Kinesiotapes can relieve tension, speed up regeneration and help with overuse injuries." The specialist in general and sports medicine is a triathlete and cyclist. She runs her own practice in the holiday resort of Grömitz on the Baltic Sea and regularly treats endurance athletes with kinesiotapes. "Many people wonder how something that only sticks to the skin is supposed to affect the muscles underneath," says Kühner. The adhesive technique has a sensory effect, explains the doctor: "There are so-called mechanoreceptors between the skin and muscles that react to pressure or stretching. The tapes lift the skin slightly, which immediately reduces the pressure and thus relieves pain. This increases the metabolism in the muscles and relieves tension." However, the whole thing only works in combination with movement, says Kühner: "It doesn't make sense to stick a tape on and then lie down. The connective tissue massage and stimulation of the metabolism can only work with movement. It wouldn't work with rigid tape."
Dr Lucia Kühner, triathlete and sports physician: "Putting tape on it and then lying down doesn't make sense."
Kinesiotapes are made of stretchable textile, usually cotton, elastane, viscose or a mixture of these. They are coated with acrylic adhesive on one side and stick to a backing film, usually with a pre-stretch of ten per cent. "This pre-stretch should be maintained when applying the tape," advises Manuel Klose, Head of the Department of Physical Therapy at Freising Hospital. However, stretching the tapes too much is just as pointless as not stretching them at all, says the physiotherapist: "Laypeople often apply too much tension to the tape. But you shouldn't stretch it by more than 30 to 40 per cent, otherwise the skin can form painful tension blisters."
Many cyclists experience pain in their knees - and a tape often helps them, says doctor Lucia Kühner: "The thigh muscles are under a lot of strain on the bike - especially on long tours with lots of inclines. This leads to a lot of pressure on the kneecap and sometimes to tendonitis." She also provides cyclists with kinesiotapes if they suffer from neck tension, pain in the lumbar spine, small muscle fibre tears or problems with the iliotibial tract, a wide fibre band on the side of the thigh. "I also achieve good results with Achilles tendon irritation, which often occurs when amateur cyclists switch to clipless pedals," reports Kühner. Depending on the diagnosis, the doctor chooses between soothing and activating tapes. "If the tape is intended to relax, I apply it from the base to the origin of the muscle. I measure the correct length on the stretched muscle. In the normal position, the tape then forms small waves - they create the massage function." Kühner applies activating tape, for example before a long tour, without pre-tensioning and in the opposite direction - from the origin to the insertion. "That wakes up the muscle."
The meaning of the colours
Contrary to what many people think, the colour of the tapes has no significance. "The material is always the same," says Kühner, even if some people find blue tapes calming, red ones energising and green ones regenerating. "That's probably just a psychological effect," says the doctor. However, this should not be disregarded. Physiotherapist Klose agrees: "It's not like a Theraband, where a black tape is stronger or something. But the colours do have an effect on the patients." Klose is convinced that the colour of the tapes has an effect on cooperation and motivation. "Women often find pink stylish, while male musclemen can't identify with it." Two colours are always used up the quickest in Klose's rooms at the Freising clinic: black and red. Like Kühner, Klose applies kinesiotapes to his patients in various situations: after an operation, for example, to promote lymphatic drainage, or after injuries for stabilisation. "I like to apply so-called memory tapes," reports the Munich native. "They pull on the shoulder blade in the event of poor posture, for example, and remind the athlete of the correct position." According to Klose, this also helps some cyclists: "Many people sit a bit sloppily on their bikes when they get tired. Their pedalling becomes uneconomical and their knees tilt too far inwards. A tape with a memory effect on the outside of the thigh counteracts this." Kinesio tapes can also be used for prevention, Klose promises: "If someone had a torn muscle fibre three years ago, for example, and now the muscle closes up every time after 20 kilometres, a tape can improve microcirculation and maintain function for longer."
What science says
As good as it all sounds, kinesiotaping has a catch: there is no clear scientific evidence that it works. "The study situation is poor," admits tape expert Klose frankly. "Studies that speak in favour often only have a low level of evidence or only include a few test subjects. And the well-constructed studies contain phrases such as 'not very relevant', 'not proven' or 'experimental stage'." Kühner adds that this is also the reason why statutory health insurance companies do not pay for kinesiotape therapy. Despite the dubious data, the sports physician from the Baltic Sea coast has the impression that the tapes work. "They are also quick to apply and comparatively inexpensive," says the doctor. Nevertheless, it is important to find the cause of the discomfort. "I only tape cyclists in conjunction with training tips. If back pain is caused by an incorrect sitting position, then I can't just stick a tape on and the pain will disappear." Kühner emphasises: "Kinesiotape is no substitute for core stability training." Even in the case of serious injuries such as muscle tears or structural damage such as osteoarthritis of the knee, an elastic piece of fabric cannot do much. However, Kühner reports that cyclists rarely expect too much from the colourful adhesive strips. "It's more the other way round: many don't expect much from the tapes and are then pleasantly surprised by the effect."
Manuel Klose, Head of the Department of Physical Therapy at Freising Hospital : "You can tape yourself, but you have to familiarise yourself with it first."
And side effects?
Klose now even uses tapes to make troublesome scar tissue more mobile. "If a cyclist has an older, poorly healed scar on their leg after a fall, for example, which can't be moved easily and therefore hinders their movement, I can apply a tape that exerts tension on it every time they turn the pedals and makes the scar more elastic, so to speak." Both experts agree that kinesiotaping has hardly any side effects. "You just have to be careful with plaster allergies," says Klose. However, these are usually caused by the adhesive, not the cotton, so athletes who have problems with this can use hypoallergenic tapes for sensitive skin. Klose estimates that around one in ten people experience skin reactions such as redness, itching or blistering. Kühner advises being careful with tapes on fresh sports injuries: "If the tape is too tight and not applied correctly, it can make the swelling even worse." Kinesio tapes have no place on open wounds or diseased skin, nor in the area of varicose veins or thromboses. "Taping is also taboo if you have a fever, because your metabolism is already running at full speed and should not be additionally activated," recommends Kühner. Because there is little to go wrong with kinesio tapes overall, athletes with a little prior knowledge can tape themselves. Physiotherapist Klose agrees with the doctor: "You can tape yourself, but you have to familiarise yourself with it beforehand and know, for example: Does a ligament or muscle in the ankle hurt?" The prerequisite for successful self-taping is, of course, a good view of the body part to be treated, says Klose. "If you don't have two left hands, you can apply kinesio tape correctly without the help of a doctor or physiotherapist."
Kinesiotapes: How it's done
Do you want to apply tape yourself? No problem: athletes don't necessarily have to see a doctor or physiotherapist if they need kinesio tape. Answers to the most frequently asked questions - and what else you need to consider.
How do I know how to apply the tape?
Whether it's neck pain, splayfoot or tennis elbow - there are numerous video tutorials on YouTube for every sports problem that tape could help with. You can also learn taping step by step from books (e.g. "Taping im Sport" or "Taping - 30 Supertapes gegen Muskel-, Nerven- und Faszienschmerzen", both published by Trias-Verlag). Or you can ask your physiotherapist to show you how to apply the tape yourself next time. Either way, it makes sense to start with simple tape applications to get a feel for the handling. With some tapes - for example on the back or shoulder - a second person will need to help.
Where can I buy them?
Kinesiotapes are now even available in some drugstores. You can also find them in pharmacies, sports equipment shops or on the internet. Tape rolls are commonly available in five centimetre widths and five metre lengths. Prices vary between two and twelve euros per roll. If you are prone to plaster allergies, you should use hypoallergenic tapes.
What needs to be considered in terms of quality?
The differences in price suggest differences in quality. "But which tape you buy is primarily a question of taste and tolerance," says physiotherapist Manuel Klose. "Even cheap ones can be good." However, some tapes smell "extremely chemical" when you open the packet, says Klose. "They often stick particularly well. But if in doubt, you should think twice about whether you want to leave them on your skin for a long time."
How do I prepare the skin?
"The skin should be oil-free, otherwise the tape will stick less well and won't last as long," advises Manuel Klose. So don't use body lotion or sun cream before taping and don't apply the tape to sweaty skin. "It's best to clean the area with alcohol or white spirit beforehand," says the physiotherapist. Tape doesn't adhere quite as well to very hairy skin. It may be worth shaving it off beforehand - also with a view to tearing it off later.
How do I prepare the tape?
Use sharp scissors to cut strips of tape to the right length and desired number from the roll. "Then cut all four corners of each strip round so that the tape holds better later," advises physiotherapist Klose. Tip: Tear through the protective film about five centimetres before one end of the tape and only peel it off there at first - then you don't have to touch the adhesive side and the tape won't get stuck anywhere when you apply it.
Do I have to stretch the tape?
"Laypeople often apply too much tension to the tape," says Manuel Klose. "But this isn't necessary and can cause tension blisters on the skin if the tape is stretched too much." The tape can be stretched up to 40 per cent longer.
What should I do after sticking?
"Warm the tape up briefly after applying it so that the adhesive holds better," advises physiotherapist Klose. "Either rub it gently with your hands while applying light pressure or warm it briefly with a hairdryer." Half an hour later, the tape is firm and lasts for days.
When can I do sports with a kinesiotape?
Sport does not affect the tape - on the contrary: it can only develop its full effect during exercise. Ideally, you should allow half an hour to pass after applying the tape before you start training. "Otherwise the freshly applied tape could soon come off again due to the pulling force and sweat," says Klose.
Can I shower with the kinesiotape?
Kinesiotapes tolerate moisture well and adhere even after showering if you don't rub them too roughly when washing and drying. Swimming or sweating don't affect the tape either. Tip from physiotherapist Manuel Klose: "Blow dry the tape after showering. This reactivates the adhesive and it lasts longer."
When should I remove the tape?
If a tape is applied correctly, it does not normally cause any discomfort. "You should take it off if skin reactions such as redness, itching or blisters occur," says physiotherapist Klose. You should also remove the tape if it feels uncomfortable or no longer sticks securely.
How do I remove the tape?
You can simply peel off the tape like a plaster. If you have hairy skin, it is more comfortable to remove it in the shower - slowly and in the direction of hair growth. Also remove the adhesive residue thoroughly - by rubbing it off with alcohol or white spirit.
How much does it cost for a doctor to apply the tape?
Statutory health insurance companies do not usually cover the costs of applying the tape. Private and self-paying patients can expect to pay up to 20 euros plus material costs, depending on the complexity and size of the tape application.
When is taping taboo?
- in the event of a plaster allergy or other skin reactions
- on injured skin
- for pregnant women in the abdominal area
- for very large oedema and concomitant heart disease
- for fever
- in the area of deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins or tumours
