How effective is K-tape?
It’s Scotch tape, it’s rainbow tape, no, it’s K-tape! Have you seen runners or athletes beautifully taped up in multi-coloured tapes? Ever wondered what they might be? They are called ‘Kinesiology Tape’, or more commonly known as ‘KT tape’! You might have heard of doctors or therapists using K-Tape for various reasons — such as to reduce pain and swelling and increase muscle function etc. But…do K-tape really work?
Here’s a short study that explores the effectiveness of K-Tape with respect to ankle stability i.e. rolling your ankle.
Why are we interested in ankle stability?
Unstable ankles will likely lead to a lateral ankle sprain. Lateral ankle sprains are the most common type of ankle sprains and they occur during a sudden or forced ankle inversion (i.e. the ankle is rolled outwards). As seen in the picture below, there is a group of ligaments on the outside of your ankle — simply put, many ligaments sit between bones to hold the joint together. Their function is to limit excessive movements and stress on the ankle to provide ankle stability and support. A rapid ankle inversion causes the outer ankle ligaments to stretch and tear at varying degrees, resulting in ankle sprain injuries.
What can K-tape do?
It has been suggested that K-Tape is able to improve ankle stability and enhance joint position sense, that is, knowing where your ankle is in space, to prevent recurrent ankle sprains. This study focused on the activity and delayed activation of two main ankle stabilising muscles, namely the peroneus longus and tibialis anterior muscles. These two primary muscles act to support the ankle in the event of a sudden ankle inversion.
K-tape has no effect on ankle activity!
The results of this study suggested that K-Tape…wait for it…had no effect on the activity or delay between the two muscles during a simulated ankle inversion. Hence, its efficacy in preventing ankle sprains is negligible!
Can Physiotherapy help with my unstable ankle?
Since K-Tape will not help to reduce the risk of an ankle sprain or improve ankle stability…what can I do?
The usual complaint of an unstable ankle is the feeling of it being “loose”, “giving way”, and even sometimes “like it’s going to fall off”. There are instances where there might be pain or occurrence of recurrent ankle sprains even when walking on level ground.
Physiotherapists in PhysioX can diagnose the problem and identify an area of weakness that could be contributing to your ankle instability. For example, a reduced strength in one or more of the muscles around your ankle can alter the way your ankle reacts to sudden movements, which can result in foot and ankle instability. With a thorough assessment, we are then able to provide you with a rehabilitation plan to strengthen and work on those muscles, to ensure that they are in optimal condition to prevent recurrent or future ankle sprains!
Food for thought: YES — K-Tape may look fancy and seem to be widely used; HOWEVER, can they provide more than just a fashion statement?
Book now or give us a call to schedule an appointment to see our Physiotherapist who will be able to partner you to recovery.
DISCLAIMER: These advise and exercises should not replace the need for a consultation with a Physiotherapist especially if your condition doesn’t improve. Therapeutic exercise should be carefully selected to suit your condition.
Ref:
Slevin, Z. M., Arnold, G. P., Wang, W., & Abboud, R. J.. Immediate effect of kinesiology tape on ankle stability. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 6(1).
Filed under: Ankle
