They've been hard to miss at this year's Olympic Games: Strips of brightly colored tape adorning the arms, legs, and torsos of many top athletes. But more than just fashion is driving this trend.
The tape is called Kinesio tape. Many athletes believe it has medical benefits.
The tape was invented by Japanese chiropractor Kenzo Kase in the 1970s. The U.K. web site for Kinesio tape claims it can alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, relax muscles, enhance performance, and help with rehabilitation as well as supporting muscles during a sporting event.
Evidence Lacking
There has not been conclusive scientific or medical evidence to confirm the effectiveness of the tape. A review of evidence from 10 research papers for Kinesio tape to treat and prevent sports injuries was published in the journal Sports Medicine in February.
No clinically important results were found to support the tape's use for pain relief.
There were inconsistent range-of-motion results.
Seven outcomes relating to strength were beneficial.
The tape had some substantial effects on muscle activity, but it was not clear whether these changes were beneficial or harmful.
They've been hard to miss at this year's Olympic Games: Strips of brightly colored tape adorning the arms, legs, and torsos of many top athletes. But more than just fashion is driving this trend.
The tape is called Kinesio tape. Many athletes believe it has medical benefits.
The tape was invented by Japanese chiropractor Kenzo Kase in the 1970s. The U.K. web site for Kinesio tape claims it can alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, relax muscles, enhance performance, and help with rehabilitation as well as supporting muscles during a sporting event.
Evidence Lacking
There has not been conclusive scientific or medical evidence to confirm the effectiveness of the tape. A review of evidence from 10 research papers for Kinesio tape to treat and prevent sports injuries was published in the journal Sports Medicine in February.
No clinically important results were found to support the tape's use for pain relief.
There were inconsistent range-of-motion results.
Seven outcomes relating to strength were beneficial.
The tape had some substantial effects on muscle activity, but it was not clear whether these changes were beneficial or harmful.
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