The Impact of Kinesio Taping on Muscular Mechanics

Elastic therapeutic taping has gained widespread popularity as an effective technique for both preventing and treating various neuromusculoskeletal disorders and sports-related injuries. Among the different methods, Kinesio Taping (KT) stands out as a particularly favored approach. While KT is frequently employed to enhance muscular function, there has been a notable gap in our understanding of its precise effects on muscular mechanics. To bridge this knowledge gap, researchers from
Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey, investigated the mechanical impact of KT on the musculature, with a particular focus on the local length changes and shear strains within the targeted muscle.

One of the key elements underpinning this study is the concept of the fascial system’s continuity and its mechanical interaction with muscle fascicles within the muscle tissue. Fascia is a connective tissue that surrounds and permeates the muscles, providing structural support and facilitating communication between different muscle groups. This fascial system is known to play a crucial role in muscular mechanics, including muscle contraction and movement.

The primary hypothesis underpinning this study posited that the mechanical loading induced on the skin by KT would lead to along-muscle fascicle local length changes and shear strains within the targeted muscle. To investigate this hypothesis, a combination of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based local tissue deformation analyses and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-based fiber tracking techniques was employed.

The study published in Journal of Biomechanics involved the participation of five healthy female volunteers. Anatomical MRI and DTI data were collected under three different conditions:

1. Without tape.
2. Following a sham application (simulating the taping process without actual KT).
3. After the application of Kinesio Tape.

Local length changes and shear strains within the muscle were then calculated by comparing the data obtained between conditions (1-2) and conditions (2-3). Statistical analysis was performed using a non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare the results between the two conditions.

Key Findings

The pooled data from all subjects revealed some noteworthy findings:

• Kinesio Taping induced along-muscle fascicle lengthening, shortening, and shearing.
• The mean values for along-muscle fascicle lengthening (0.026 ± 0.020), shortening (0.032 ± 0.027), and shearing (0.087 ± 0.049) were significantly higher in the KT application condition compared to the sham application condition (0.012 ± 0.010; 0.013 ± 0.015; 0.029 ± 0.021, respectively) with p-values less than 0.001.

The study’s findings provide insights into the effects of Kinesio Taping on muscular mechanics. It is evident that KT leads to significant along-muscle fascicle length changes and shear strains within the targeted muscle. These alterations are thought to be the result of myofascial loads imposed by KT over the skin, which are then transmitted via the fascial system, thus non-uniformly affecting the mechanical equilibrium along different parts of the muscle fascicles.

These findings shed light on the intricate interplay between elastic therapeutic taping, the fascial system, and muscular mechanics. They also suggest that KT may have a more profound impact on muscular function than previously recognized.

Understanding these effects could have practical implications for the use of KT in various clinical and sports-related contexts, potentially leading to more informed and tailored treatment approaches. Further research in this area is warranted to explore the full extent of KT’s impact on muscular mechanics and its potential therapeutic benefits.