How To Tape An Arthritic Knee

September 14, 2021

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Does Kinesio Tape Work For Knee Pain

How To Use Kinesiology Tape To Treat Anterior Knee Pain

Kurt et al. looked at the short-term effects of kinesio tape on joint position sense, isokinetic measurements, kinesiophobia, pain, and functional limitations in participants with patellofemoral pain, or runners knee.

Ninety participants were randomly allocated to tape and placebo groups before performing isokinetic quadriceps strength testing and joint position sense measures.

They also completed scales to measure pain and kinesiophobia . All measurements were repeated two days after tape application.

Although no differences were found in isokinetic muscle testing after two days, significant improvements were noted in kinesiophobia, pain, and functional limitations after taping. This suggests that taping has no effect on strength but may be useful for improving joint position sense;and decreasing kinesiophobia, pain and symptoms.

A recent study in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy compared the effect of different taping techniques on anterior knee pain during functional activities.

After being taped, the female participants who all had unilateral knee pain prior to the study were asked to squat and climb stairs.

Kinesio Tape was found to be an effective way to decrease knee pain in these patients while climbing stairs.

In older adults with knee osteoarthritis, the effect of kinesiotape on pain, swelling, and functional limitations was tested. The three groups of participants all performed exercise but two of the groups did so with tape applied.

Should You Use Kinesio Tape And Other Tapes

Ill admit, I use Kinesio Tape albeit sparingly. There are typically three situations that call for Kinesio Tape in my practice.

The patient has had previous success in the same or similar situation with tape. Who am I to mess with what works? If they come in and tell me that their shoulder pain was immediately improved by tape, Im probably going to tape them. Im also going to address their flexibility, mobility, and strength but theres no reason not to do those things with the tape on if its been helpful in the past.

Im stuck. If I have tried every other evidence-based approach I can think of, I have been known to try tape. Admittedly, this is mostly in shoulders with persistent pain that may benefit from postural cueing. Most recently I used it to remind a patient with a tight pec minor, to keep his shoulder blades down and back. Spoiler alert: He felt immediately better but ultimately it didnt work. In fairness, we were looking for a panacea in a tight post-operative shoulder and this wasnt it.

So if you are using it to enhance mechanoreception , for the placebo effect, or to see if you can get rid of persistent swelling, theres probably no harm in trying.

But if you tell me the pink tape is used to heat things up and the blue tape is to cool things down as a certain athletic trainer once told me, Im probably going to laugh out loud and move on.

Penny Goldberg, DPT, ATC

Tips For Removing Kinesiology Tape

To comfortably remove kinesiology tape:

Apply oil. Baby oil or olive oil can loosen the adhesive. Rub oil on the tape, wait 15 to 30 minutes, then remove it in the shower.
Remove it slowly. Avoid removing the tape too fast, which may irritate or damage your skin.
Roll away the tape. Roll the tape back on itself. Compared to pulling, rolling is less painful.
Move in the direction of hair growth. This minimizes irritation to your skin and hair follicles.
Tug the skin. While peeling the tape, use your other hand to tug the skin in the opposite direction. This is said to decrease discomfort.

How Does Kinesiology Tape Work

The kinesiology taping method is based on the science of maintaining support to the body while allowing blood and other bodily fluids to move freely through and around the injured muscle. Kinesiology tape stabilizes the injured area by lightly adhering to the skin and applying pressure to the tissues the tape is wrapped around.

This tape allows the connective tissue surrounding the affected muscle or tendon to move along with the body. It gently allows the free flow of blood and lymphatic fluid to cleanse and heal the inflammation without the use of medications or surgery.

This special tape helps to improve circulation, support muscles, allow the internal injury to heal, and help prevent further muscle injury while still allowing motion.

What Is Knee Taping

Kinesiology taping instructions for knee pain #ktape #knee ...

Knee taping is the application and positioning of tape to align the knee in a more stable position. The improved alignment can reduce stress and strain on the soft tissues that surround the knee and improve osteoarthritis symptoms. Precise position of the tape is important, and;physical therapists are trained in proper knee taping technique. Patients can;also be taught to self-manage the treatment.

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Dealing With Knee Arthritis At Home

1Lose weight if you’re too heavy. As a general rule, people who are overweight or obese suffer more arthritis because of the increased amount of pressure on their joints especially weight-bearing joints such as the knees, hips and low back. Furthermore, overweight people are more likely to have flat feet and fallen arches, which promotes “knock knees” . Genu varum is hard on knee joints because it causes misalignment of the thigh and shin bones. Thus, do your knees a favor by losing excess weight. The best way to lose weight is by increasing cardiovascular exercise while decreasing your daily calories at the same time.

Most people who aren’t especially active only need about 2,000 calories daily to maintain their body processes and still have enough energy for some exercise.

Reducing your daily caloric intake by only 500 calories can result in about 4 pounds of lost fat per month.XTrustworthy SourceMayo ClinicEducational website from one of the world’s leading hospitalsGo to source

Swimming is a fantastic exercise for arthritis sufferers to lose weight because your body is buoyant and no pressure is put on your joints.

Apply moist heat first thing in the morning or after not using your knee for long periods of time. Avoid electric heat sources because they can dehydrate the skin and muscles around the knee.

Microwaved herbal bags work well for knee arthritis, especially the ones that are infused with aromatherapy because they tend to have relaxing properties.

S For Taping Your Knee

The McConnell technique. This method uses rigid tape to align the kneecap to ease pain. You can use it for knee osteoarthritis, patellofemoral pain syndrome , and chondromalacia patella .

You’ll need a roll of 2-inch-wide adhesive gauze to protect your skin and a roll of 1 1/2-inch-wide rigid athletic tape.

Sit with your leg slightly bent and stretched out in front of you.

Cut 2 pieces of adhesive gauze and put them across your kneecap to protect your skin.

Start the strip of rigid tape in the middle of the kneecap and pull it over the kneecap toward the inner part of your knee.;

Push the soft tissue on your inner knee toward the kneecap.

Secure the tape to the inner side of the kneecap.

Kinesio taping technique. This method used the more flexible elastic tape to support your knee while allowing a good range of motion. You’ll need two pre-cut Y strips and two pre-cut I strips. Rub the tape to activate the adhesive after you put on each strip.

Sit in a chair with your knee bent.

Put on the bottom part of the Y-shaped piece of tape starting at mid-thigh.

Slightly stretch one tail of the Y-shaped tape and around one side of the kneecap, coming back to the center below the kneecap.

Repeat with the other tail on the other side of your kneecap. The kneecap should be surrounded.

Take the other piece of Y-shaped tape and put on the bottom part, starting several inches below the kneecap.

Repeat with the other tail on the other side of your kneecap.;

Continued

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Knee Arthritis Vs Meniscus Tear

Ive had a lot of patients throughout the years with knee pain . The biggest thing that we do as Physical Therapists is figure out what is the cause of your pain. I feel like Ive had a group of patients recently, that have knee pain and their MRI shows they have a meniscus tearand arthritis. The problem with having both is it makes it hard to discern where the pain is coming from because they are so closely related. The other problem with having both is that surgeons are usually shy about performing a meniscectomy because it may not relieve your pain symptoms. That being said, lets talk about the differences between the two so you can make an educated decision if this is what you are dealing with.

What is a Meniscus Tear?

The meniscus is the shock absorber of your knee. You have one on the inside and outside of your knee. If you were looking down from the top of your knee they look like two lima beans. If you look at them from a straight on view they look like a race car track meaning the peripheral portions are thicker and it slopes down towards the middle of the knee from there.

Typically a torn meniscus will hurt right over the joint line and will be sore at end ranges of knee movement. It will also usually hurt with activity, especially loading and twisting. Remember, its your shock absorber, so the more bumps you take the more strain you are putting on it. Think of it like driving a car. If you go over a lot of bumps you will feel it more.

What is Knee Arthritis?

How To Tape A Knee

How to tape your knee

This article was co-authored by Michele Dolan. Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002. This article has been viewed 391,802 times.

Coping with an injured or painful knee is hard, but taping it can provide some relief. Not only that, but taping your knee also adds support for your knee. To tape your knee, you’ll need to first place crossing strips on either side of your leg, framing your knee. Then, anchor your straps by wrapping more tape around your knee. If you have a tape allergy, you should apply a hypo-allergenic base, first.

Kinesiology Tape For Knees

Kinesiology taping is a fast and effective approach in offering support for the knee area and can help reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Kinesiology tape is applied around the borders of the knee, or directly over the affected joints, tendons or muscles. The tape has a uni-directional stretch and elastic properties, similar to human skin, that allow it to be worn comfortably for several days.

Would Taping Help My Knee Pain

It is believed by some that therapeutic taping for those with knee pain has the potential to offer an inexpensive, simple and effective option for the client to reduce their symptoms without the use of medications . In this blog I touch on a few studies that investigated tapes potential benefits on knee conditions such as Osteoarthritis , Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome and Patellar Tendinopathy .

Does It Matter How You Apply Kinesio Tape To The Knee

According to the Kinesio tape manufacturers, the direction of pull and amount of tension are critical to taping the knee. The amount and direction of pull are hypothetically used to determine which muscles are being activated or inhibited.

Research disagrees. A study in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport examined the facilitatory and inhibitory effects of Kinesio tape during grip exercises. Participants were blindfolded while taped to either facilitate or inhibit wrist extensor muscle activity. They had their grip strength tested in the three conditions . Researchers failed to identify differences in maximal strength, EMG activity, or perceived performance among the tape conditions.

Another study in 2016 published in Isokinetics and Exercise Science also looked at the effect of tape on muscle performance. The tape was applied to the quadriceps with 40% tension before participants performed isokinetic exercise. The results showed no enhancement of muscle performance with the application of kinesio tape at any of the muscle velocities tested.

Dos And Donts Before Applying Kt Tape For Pain

Proper analysis of the suffererâs condition is mandatory to get the best results
Avoid using KT Tape on an area which has scrapes, cuts, burns, rash, or sunburns
Never use excessive tension while applying KT Tape
If adhesion of the tape is hampering due to body hair, then remove body hair
Ensure you donât perspire while applying the adhesive tape
Avoid getting involved in the exercise, swimming, or bathing for at least one hour after application of the tape
After using the tape, rub it up and down to activate the heat sensitive glue

Knee pain can obstruct your success and happiness. But every problem comes with a solution, and knee pain also has an excellent remedial solution. After reading this article, you are well aware of the fantastic remedy of knee pain, and that is the Kinesiology Tape for knee pain relief.

The elastic tape is a miracle which works efficiently on your skin. It not only works well on your pain but is also budget-friendly and quite easy to use. So if you are missing out on the fun from your life owing to the clingy interior knee pain, your best friend, KT Tape for knee is at your rescue. You donât have to rely on those expensive and harmful painkillers for dealing with your pain as the fantastic KT tape will give you relief from the throbbing pain in the best possible way

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Does Kinesiology Tape Work For Knee Pain

Kinesiology tape has the ability to provide knee support without limiting mobility. When applied correctly, the one-way elastic stretch and recoil of the tape provides a residual therapeutic benefit to the knee area. The effects are often felt immediately, with many people continuing activities that once limited them.;

The Benefits Of Taping

Any kind of taping is meant to help limit motion, says Dr. King. If you have painful joints from arthritis, limiting motion can help to relieve some of the pain. However, we always want to balance immobilization with mobilization, he adds.;;

Totally immobilizing the joint can actually make it a bit stiffer. An argument for Kinesio tape is it can limit motion, but it also is stretchy enough that you get more motion than you would from traditional tape or from wearing a brace, says Dr. King.;;

All taping provides support, but with Kinesio tape, you get more dynamic support. Its not the stiff kind of feeling you get with traditional taping or a hard brace, says Dr. King.

It can also help to support muscles. The muscles around a joint with arthritis typically have to work harder. Kinesiology tape can allow those muscles to relax a little.

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How Knee Taping Reduces Pain

While knee taping is recommended for some osteoarthritis patients, there is not a great deal of scientific evidence that supports the recommendation. It is believed that knee taping causes subtle changes to joint pressure that may also:

reduce strain on the inflamed soft tissue around the knee
improve the patient’s awareness of body position

braces

Knee taping can also be used with other treatment options, such as osteoarthritis medications, hyaluronan injections, or steroid injections. When a patient has severe pain and total knee replacement has been recommended as the best solution, knee taping may not offer enough benefit.

What Do The Different Colors Of Kinesio Tape Mean

Kinsesiolgy taping for Knee Pain

What is the difference between the colors? There is no physical or chemical difference between the colors. The colors were developed to be compatible with color therapy. The beige was created for minimal visibility and the black was created after many requests. Color choice is a matter of individual preference.

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How To Apply Kt Tape For Knee Pain

Youll need: 2 full strips, 1-2 half-strips

1. Half Strip 1 : Sit with knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Tear the backing paper of the strip in the center. Roll the backing paper toward each end, leaving 2 inches of backing attached to each end of the strip.;Hold the strip horizontally with one hand on each end. With a moderate stretch, apply the center of the strip directly below knee cap. Remove the backings completely and apply the last 2 inches on each end with no stretch on the sides of the knee.

2. If needed, repeat with Half Strip 2, positioning the strip halfway overlapped on the first half strip.;

3. Full Strip 1 : Tear and remove the backing paper 2 inches from one end to create a starting anchor. Place the anchor on inner side of quad, a few inches above knee, directing strip toward kneecap. With no stretch, apply the strip until the top of kneecap. At the top of the kneecap, curve and apply the strip around and below the knee cap to the outer side of the lower leg with a moderate stretch. Apply the last 2 inches with no stretch.

5. Rub all strips to activate adhesion.

Preparing The Application Area

Once youve chosen the type of KT Tape you plan on using, its time to prepare the area of your skin that youll be applying this tape. In this case, well be preparing not just the knee itself but the skin above and below it to the length of several inches up the thigh and down the calf.

For the most part, preparation is going to be straightforward. You want to ensure that the skin on and surrounding your knee is as clean and dry as possible. This means removing any dirt as well as ensuring youre not using any sorts of oils or lotions on your skin either. Doing this prepares your skin for the best adhesion when it comes to keeping the tape in place without risking it slipping o coming off.

Part of this preparation involves setting enough time aside before whatever activity youre anticipating that will require knee support. While KT Tape can be applied in minutes, in order for your knee joint to receive the full benefit of the tape its strongly recommended to begin the preparation and application process around an hour in advance of any activity. Whether this is participating in a competitive sport or simply going about your day, youll get the best results from the tape if you do your prep work at least an hour beforehand.

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