Kinesiology tape, popularly known as Kinesio tape or k-tape, is something that many people can not imagine the world without. 

Why? 

Because of their incredible and seemingly stress-free way of relieving pain and reducing swelling in injuries.

Kinesiology sports tapes are strips of sticky fabric that people apply to their skin in a bid to relieve musculoskeletal pain and reduce inflammation. You may have seen them, at practice, on the streets, or in hospitals. Depending on the manufacturer, they may be your best bet for pain relief. No wonder you see them everywhere, right?

In the next few lines, you will learn more about the Kinesio tape, its functions, origins, and what to consider when you want to buy it. So, dive in!

A Brief History of Kinesiology Tape

No matter how brief this history will be, it will be incomplete without mentioning Dr. Kenso Kase, who brought the masterpiece to life.

Sometime in the early 1970s, Dr. Kase must have had a lot of patients with musculoskeletal pains. Determining the number of patients is not a priority to us; rather, we will focus on how Dr. Kase moved to help them and what he used or tried to use.

As you already know, necessity births invention. Had Dr. Kase not felt the need to produce Kinesio tape, he may not have. So, why did he feel that pressing need?

When his patients came to his office, they complained of all sorts of pain, which he, of course, must have fixed or, at least, successfully managed. However, the patients would return with the same complaints in a little while. It must have dawned on the doctor then that the solution he offered only lasted as long as they were in his office. 

The moment they stepped out of his office, these patients returned to the bad habits that led to the pains in the first place. Who can fault them? After all, we are all humans, and there’s nothing more difficult for our species than falling out of bad habits.

This observation prompted Dr. Kase to seek something that would keep his patients in check even outside his office. So, he turned to medical tape. He quickly discovered that it was not a very good solution. Medical tape, at the time, must have been a badly constructed roll of itchy material that made things feel like hell. 

His patients came back, arguably, even worse than they left. We don’t know exactly how they may have complained. We assume it was something along the lines of how heavy, uncomfortable, and how painful it felt, lugging around the annoyance of medical tape. It was sticky and stiff, like a million wraps of sellotape on skin.

Dr. Kase must have taken this as a challenge because, by 1979, he had invented the first Kinesio tape, which he called Kinesio tex tape. Necessity births invention, right?

This tape was light, comfortable, flexible, and, best of all, it worked. It was everything Kenzo wanted, and all his patients needed.

What Does Kinesio Tape Do?

• Relieves Musculoskeletal Pain

As you can tell from history, one of the main reasons for the invention of Kinesio tape was pain relief. The extent to which the tape performs this function depends on the manufacturer and the manufacturing process, but it should always perform this function.

The process of decompression relieves pain. This process involves the creation of space beneath the skin. This tiny gap occurs between the skin, vessels, tissues, muscles, bones, and fluids beneath it. This space, first of all, reduces the irritation that may be caused by rubbing skin against bone, which can heighten the pain. In addition, this tiny lift changes the pain signals that would have been sent to your brain. This is how k-tape relieves musculoskeletal pain.

• Reduces Swelling and Inflammation

Most injury-inflicted pains are often accompanied by inflammation and swelling. Kinesio tape is a good way of killing two birds with one stone- relieving pain and reducing inflammation. This is why they are often used with other forms of physical therapy for injury management.

Swelling is caused by the build-up of fluids in a location where they have no business being built up. By creating space, Kinesiology Tape allows the fluid clear passage, and gradually, you will find that your knee is returning to its original size. The space created, as described above, is also responsible for the tape’s ability to reduce inflammation.

On the subject of injury management, you should know that Kinesio tape can also be used to prevent injuries by providing support and stability to joints. Athletes will find this piece of information very useful. Those suffering from conditions that weaken their bones and muscles will also benefit from this particular function.

• Corrects Posture 

Remember how Dr. Kase’s patients went home and fell back into their bad habits? Most of these habits were posture related. Kinesio tape will help to increase your sense of proprioception and general awareness of your posture. It will remind you to stand up straight and stop slouching.

Things to Consider When Getting Kinesiology Tape

Now that you know all about what Kinesio tape is capable of doing, what are the factors you need to consider when you are looking to purchase one?

• Comfortability: As with anything that you will be using on your skin or consuming, the way it makes you feel should be a priority. What you want to purchase is a tape that makes you feel comfortable; you don’t want something that is itchy or just feels off. The material a roll of tape is made of contributes largely to how it will feel on your skin. Kinesio tape, by definition, should feel like a second skin, or at least as close to it as possible. If it does not feel that way, scrap it.

• Adhesion: What good is a tape that falls off behind your back to become one of the most embarrassing moments of your life? Keep an eye out for high-quality adhesive tape to ensure that it stays with you through thick and thin. If a tape has bad adhesion, chances are it will be ineffective. Moreover, ensure that the adhesion does not translate to a promise of sticky residues you did not ask for. A tape leaving sticky residue is a nightmare for people who use tape, so avoid that plague.

• Flexibility: Flexibility and elasticity are two other important traits of Kinesio tape. Kinesiology tape should not feel stiff or restrict movement. It should aid your movement and make them more comfortable, not the other way around. If the tape is inflexible or inelastic, these things will be impossible. The material, again, factors in when it comes to flexibility and elasticity. Look for companies that promise quality materials that will give you freedom of movement. Hampton Adams is one of those companies with our use of pure cotton substrates. So, what else do we have to offer?

Why Hampton Adams?

Our Hampton Adams 16ft Kinesiology tape is very flexible and elastic. We believe you haven’t already forgotten how important these factors are to the efficiency of k-tape. So, flexible and insanely elastic is exactly how you want your kinesiology tape to be.

This was made possible, as mentioned above, thanks to our use of a hundred percent cotton substrate for production. Cotton is known for its flexibility, elasticity, and comfortability. This brings us to the next point. 

Our Kinesio tape is made to feel like a second skin; as we have told you, every standard k-tape is supposed to feel. The purpose of this is to make you as comfortable as possible. What could be more comfortable for healing than wearing extra skin? 

Our tape is comfortable, but this does not eradicate its ability to increase your sense of proprioception which is essential for posture correction. Its presence will not go unnoticeable but in a less threatening way than in a comforting one. 

Hampton Adams 16ft Kinesio tape is made out of medical-grade and hypoallergenic materials. This significantly reduces the chances of reactions and irritations to any of its components. Unlike ordinary medical tape, any worries about infections or rashes are completely out of the question.

Our Kinesio tape is made with quality adhesive. This adhesive of ours is made from a unique formula that ensures that the tape stays on your skin. To make things even better, our tape does not leave behind any sticky residue on your skin, nor does it damage or irritate your skin. 

Lastly, our kinesiology tape is water-resistant, durable, and strong. To back these up, there is a 60-day money-back guarantee on the tape.

Visit our page to purchase your dream tape!