Understanding Kinesio Tape and Its Use In the NBA
- Post By: Jeff Stotts
- Date:
- Category: NBA, Understanding...
During a recent game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony left the court limping and headed for the locker room. Anthony’s absence was brief and the Knicks telecast reported the seven-time All-Star simply needed to have his left knee retaped.
The tape job Melo emerged wearing was not a simple athletic tape job, like the kind one would use on an unstable ankle. Instead Anthony was seen wearing a specific type of tape known as elastic therapeutic tape or kinesio tape.
Kinesio tape has been around for decades but exploded after receiving high profile exposure during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and again during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The bright colors and crazy patterns of the technique have since popped up in every sport imaginable at a variety of levels.
Each application of elastic therapeutic tape involves strips comprised of thin, elastic fabric, generally cotton. The elasticity of the tape makes it stretchier than normal athletic tape and allows it to recoil once applied. The thought is that when the tape recoils it lifts the skin below. As a result, inflammation is believed to decrease as pressure on the area is diminished all while lymphatic draining and circulation increases.
Kinesio tape is also designed to generate neuromuscular feedback and alleviate pain by stimulating the various receptors of the sensory system. It can reportedly help with injuries to multiple types of tissues including muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Furthermore the design of the strips allow the taped individual to maintain range of motion in the affected area.
Studies on the effectiveness of elastic therapeutic tape are mixed. Some have shown that it may improve functional performance and improve pain levels as advertised. Others report there is little evidence to support its overall effectiveness.
Whether or not elastic therapeutic tape works or its benefits are simply the result of a placebo effect, there is no denying its presence in the NBA. It has been around for several years now but gained notoriety at the beginning of the 2013-14 season. In early November, the league’s front office banned Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose from wearing it on his then ailing neck. The league quickly reversed course saying it would allow players to wear Kinesio tape on “an experimental basis.” Since then multiple players have been spotted wearing therapeutic tape including Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, and now Anthony.
Not every team in the NBA utilizes Kinesio tape though multiple organizations including the Celtics, Heat, and Pistons employ someone on their medical team that is a Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner (CKTP). These individuals are trained during a series of courses led by instructors from the Kinesio Taping Association International, a group founded by kinesio tape innovator, Dr. Kenzo Kase.
However, multiple competitors have emerged in the elastic therapeutic tape market including KT Tape and Rock Tape. These companies promote application of their product freely and provide step-by-step instructions and video tutorials to show how to utilize their tape on an assortment of injuries. Rock Tape does train its own set of practitioners and boasts three different types of certifications including performance movement, fascial movements, and defensive movement taping. Regardless of the brand or method utilized, it is becoming clear elastic therapeutic tape has found its place in the NBA.
As its popularity continues to rise, expect more studies to emerge testing the claims of elastic therapeutic tape. However if notable players like Anthony continue to praise its benefits, the Kinesio tape phenomenon may prove to be more than a fad and teams around the NBA can expect more individuals to approach their athletic training staff about possible application.