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Using kinesiology tape for tennis elbow is one of the best treatment options for lateral epicondylitis.
The use of Kinesio tape can relieve the symptoms by reducing pain. You could do activities that would typically be painful if you didn’t minimize the pain and change how your arm moves.
You will learn more about Kinesio tape, what it does and what its benefits are, and how it can assist you in resuming your work or playing your favorite racquet sports immediately after an injury.
How To Tape Tennis Elbow Kith Kt Tape?
Taping Techniques
If you are applying kinesiology tape, the most important thing for you to do is to ensure that you have all of the supplies you will need on hand.
Therefore, before you start, ensure you have all of the kinesiology tape and scissors you will need.
Usually, you are able to find pre-cut kinesiology tapes in most stores. Be sure to clean your elbows and arms by wiping them with a damp cloth as soon as you finish.
If you do this, you will ensure that the tape adheres to your skin.
This is one of the many taping techniques that can ease the pain and soreness of the tennis elbow. These tapes are designed to support your arm while recovering from the injury.
Upper Arm Method
- We will take a piece of pre-cut kinesiology tape measuring approximately ten inches.
- The affected arm should be straightened out so the palm faces downward and the hands flexed downwards.
- There is one small section of tape at the end of the tape that needs to be removed to place it on the back of the forearm, halfway up the arm.
- If you are using a tape that does not have an adhesive backing, it is best to remove the adhesive backing and stretch the tape over your upper arm from 60% to 70%.
Forearm Method
- The length of the kinesiology tape is equal to the width between the tips of your fingers and just after your elbow.
- You should bend the tape about one inch from the end and make an opening at the end of this tape for your middle and ring fingers.
- Put the tape on the back of your hand while your palms are facing down and your fingers are flexed down, then place your fingers inside the cutout holes in the tape.
- After removing the adhesive backing from the one-inch piece, apply the piece to your palm.
- After removing the remainder of the adhesive backing, the tape can be placed over the extensor muscles along the lower arm, up to the lateral epicondyle, on the outside of the elbow. Stretch the tape out by about 10% and place the tape over the tissues.
- The kinesiology tape is made up of two separate strips. To create these two separate strips, you will need to cut the second piece of kinesiology tape about six inches long and make a 3/4 inch cut at the end.
- You want to ensure that you place the first two inches of the other tape piece on the back of the elbow.
- Make sure that the strip you will wrap around your forearm is stretched to 75% of its length. You can do the same thing if you want to use a second strip.
How Kinesiology Taping Works
As opposed to traditional athletic tape used to create a brace, Kinesio taping does not cause the same type of brace-like effect around your joints as traditional athletic tape.
The three different ways in which it reduces elbow pain are as follows.
The following explains how each method works to alleviate elbow pain in different ways.
Improves Self Awareness
Kinesiology tape allows you to become more aware of how your body moves and how it is positioned when you use it.
The Kinesio tape should be worn on your arm and elbow to remind you to move more ergonomically and avoid strenuous activities.
This type of self-awareness is also referred to as proprioception, another term used to describe it.
Decreases Elbow Pressure
Another way Kinesio tape may help reduce the symptoms of tennis elbow is by simultaneously reducing the load on the elbow when the wrist extensor muscles contract.
A taping technique is used in such a manner as to hinder muscle activation and minimize irritation of the connective tissue that connects the tendon to the bone.
Changes How You Feel Pain
The kinesiology tape causes a slight stretch in the skin and underlying tissues whenever applied to a specific area and simultaneously maintains constant pressure on the affected area.
When your body is stretched or pressed, you may alter how the brain perceives pain or interrupt the transmission of pain throughout your body.
Benefits of Taping
Tennis elbow can be treated with various methods, and it is important to know all of the benefits of a specific treatment before deciding which one is suitable for you.
Using kinesiology tape to build a greater understanding of the way your body moves, supports an injury and provide pain relief to your body are all possible with this tape.
Using kinesiology tape has many other benefits as well. We’ve compiled a list of all the benefits you can get from tape.
- Reduces pain and increases circulation.
- A kinesiology tape can be obtained for a meager price.
- Kinesiology tapes support the elbow joint and its surrounding tissues.
- It prevents the possibility of re-injury by increasing the proprioception of the user.
- There is no prescription required for this treatment because it is medication-free.
Precaution When Taping
Tennis elbow can be treated by using elbow taping at home or during a physical therapy session as a great alternative to surgery.
When combined with other tennis elbow treatments, taping can result in a faster healing process and a reduction of the pain associated with the condition.
The best way to find out if kinesiology taping is right for you is to talk to your doctor regarding any questions you might have. Your doctor can answer any questions you may have and ensure you are on the right track.
When to Avoid Taping
When treating tennis elbow, the tape is not always the best choice. Depending on the person, the tape may cause more problems than it can solve. Therefore, if you belong to one of the following groups, it is best to avoid tapping.
- For fractures of the bone, taping should not be used unless a physician approves it.
- The tape can cause an allergic reaction.
- The tape should not be applied to any open cuts or sores.
- Symptoms of tape irritation include pain, numbness, swelling, and redness.
- These symptoms may worsen if you have circulation or sensation problems.