What is Therapeutic Taping?
Therapeutic taping is also known by the brand names of Kinesio ® Taping, KT Tape ®, RockTape® and many others. It is a form of rehabilitative taping that helps to facilitate the body’s natural healing process. It can provide support and stability to muscles and joints without restricting the body’s range of motion. It is a drug- free pain relief method designed to help support your body during recovery while staying active. It can also assist muscle pain or cramping, joint pain, poor posture, inflammation, or bruising.
The tapes used for therapeutic taping generally offer the following features and characteristics:
- Latex free
- Water resistant
- Multiday wear
What Are the Benefits of Therapeutic Taping?
Therapeutic taping has been proposed to help with
- Decreasing pain
- Decreasing swelling
- Facilitating appropriate muscle function, normalizing muscle tension, and others.
- Assist your lymphatic and circulatory system, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints to function appropriately
Often this technique will be used in conjunction with many others in clinic. It is a way to supplement those treatments outside of the clinic, but also has a role as a preventative measure in some cases.
Instructions:
Your therapist will provide you with instructions regarding how to use the tape. Generally, there is a low risk of skin irritation with this technique; however, you should remove the tape immediately if there is increased pain or skin irritation. When drying off after a shower, make sure to pat the tape dry with a towel.
Your therapist may educate you on self-taping to assist in your recovery. If so, you would be able to purchase the tape from Amazon.com or any other retailer. Your therapist will provide you with more information and instruction, if self-taping is beneficial for you.

Schedule an Appointment Today
If you have an injury or condition that can benefit from the addition of therapeutic taping to your rehabilitative program, contact OrthoBethesda Physical Therapy today. Schedule an evaluation with one of our therapists trained in therapeutic taping at our Bethesda office.
Contact UsSchedule Physical Therapy at OrthoBethesda
Ready to get started? Our physical therapy team is here to help. Call (240) 482-2438 or send us a message.
