Kinesiotaping.com describes the Kinesio Taping® Method as a “rehabilitative technique that is designed to facilitate the body’s healing process while providing support and stability to muscles and joints, without restricting the body’s range of motion as well as providing extended soft tissue manipulation to prolong the benefits of manual therapy administered within the clinical setting.” Benefits of KTex® Tape include that it is Latex-free and wearable for up to several days at a time. It is also safe for populations ranging from pediatric to geriatric, and when utilized properly successfully treats a variety of orthopedic, neuromuscular, and neurological conditions. KTape does this by targeting different receptors within the somatosensory system which allows the tape application to alleviate pain

I recently had the pleasure of utilizing KTape applications, in conjunction with rehabilitation exercises, to assist a patient in obtaining a significant increase in sensory perception, range of motion, and function following an acute trauma induced case of drop wrist. The clinical application response was astounding. Following six weeks of traditional physical therapy the patient continued to experience a severe deficit in range of motion, strength, and sensation. She came to me essentially with little to no improvement and a whole lot of hope for better than what she was being told. Realizing none of her therapies included post treatment sensory input. My idea was to perform range of motion therapy in conjunction with electrical stimulation to essentially “wake up” the radial nerve and utilize the kinesio tape post therapies to afford constant sensory input. I hoped to create therapy input longevity as with enough active input and additional passive input this may allow the affected nerve to regain activity thus function. Following the first manual therapy I applied kinesio tape along the extensors of the wrist, with a 25% stretch. This was to see if KTaping was a viable option. Her following visit she explained for the first time since starting any treatment she had felt “sensation” in her hand and lower arm. I perceived this as a positive response and began an aggressive drive for therapy and rehabilitation.

Six weeks later, several various strategic applications of KTape to promote wrist, finger, thumb, and appropriate forearm motion and sensation she presented to her specialist. The patient’s improvement at that time was estimated at 60%. Her doctor ordered six more weeks of therapy. After six weeks of aggressively rebuilding the neuromusculoskeletal communication aspects again of her wrist, hand, and thumb, kinesio tape was used throughout the patient’s therapy. I utilized kinesio tape throughout the patient’s therapy as a means of providing constant neuromuscular feedback with the intention of reinforcing therapy.

I am happy to say this patient I share about has seen her specialist again and has been graded at 95% capacity with long term residuals of slightly diminished sensation and the highly likely occasional flare up of the accommodating muscles and joints with increased use. Of course KTape will be ready for that.

To see and utilize the Kinesio Taping technique first hand is nothing short of phenomenal. Kinesio Taping® certainly has come a long way since starting as a twinkle in Dr. Kase’s brain in 1973. It also appears to have a bright future in the clinical setting.

Dr. Windy Foust is a graduate of Parker College of Chiropractic and a licensed Arizona chiropractor. At a young age she had experienced rotator cuff damage that would traditionally require surgery. She was unable to seek traditional medical attention thus learned to live with the pain and restriction. Her personal pain and restriction eventually lead her in pursuing treatment options that were non invasive and effective. This experience gives her passion is to help those with joint pain and restrictions achieve relief and to ultimately get their lives back. She does this by applying various non invasive techniques, such as kinesio tape, in treatments for her patients with such conditions as shoulder, knee, elbow, wrist, and ankle pain and mobility restriction or instability.