Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1471270
L i s te n to T h e A B M P Po d c a s t a t a b m p.co m /p o d c a s t s o r w h e reve r yo u a cce s s yo u r favo r i te p o d c a s t s 57 A pplying kinesiology tape to clients at the conclusion of a massage or bodywork session supports and reinforces the work you do to help reduce pain, improve proprioception, and/or restore movement and function. 1 The tape continues to provide this influence during the 3-5 days it typically stays on the skin as your client engages in movements and activities of daily living. Some people describe this effect as "taking your therapist's hands with you when you go home." While this may overstate the tape's effect, I was recently gratified when a client came back after his first taping application, saying, "I felt like the tape was my friend." For those suffering from chronic pain or dysfunction, often frustrated by their previous experience in rehabilitation, this kind of perception marks a step in the right direction, and it increases their trust in your workâsomething we know is a significant factor in healing. (See "How Client Expectations Shape Results" by Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe in the January/February 2021 issue of Massage & Bodywork, page 88.) BRINGING THE BODY BACK TO BALANCE Kenzo Kase, DC, the originator of Kinesio Taping, describes the main objective of his Kinesio Taping Method as helping to bring the organism back to homeostasis. Over almost four decades of research and clinical experience, he discovered that kinesiology tape does this by influencing the organism at multiple system and tissue levels. It begins doing so at the place where it contacts the body: the skin, that direct link between the external environment and our brain and nervous system. A note on terminology: One will often find the terms kinesiology tape and kinesio tape used interchangeably in research or popular media. While kinesiology tape is a general term applied to all elastic therapeutic tape regardless of brand or trademark, Kinesio Tape refers to the original elastic therapeutic tape created by Dr. Kenzo Kase in the 1970s. Because of its long history, the term is often used in a generic way. To further compound things, the literature often abbreviates Kinesio Tape as "KT"; however, KT is its own brand and product, distinct from Kinesio (see Types of Kinesiology Tape sidebar). Although I have used both terms (kinesiology and kinesio) in this article, my description of training, methodology, and outcomes is based on my experience with Kinesio Tape and the Kinesio Taping Method. Each brand of kinesiology tape has proprietary designs, protocols, and training. While they all share some common characteristics, there are several factors that vary from tape to tape: the type of fabric used; its weave, thickness, width, extensibility, and tensile strength; the type and amount of adhesive used; and the amount of tension with which the tape is adhered to the paper backing in the manufacturing process. MAKSIM GONCHARENOK/PEXELS