Kinesiology Taping

The technique first appeared in the early Nineteen-seventies through the Japanese chiropractor Kenzo Kase, who was the first to make official use of elastic tape in treating muscle and tendon complaints. In 1973 he developed a stretchable fabric tape (Kinesio Tex) whose elasticity and thickness echoed the mechanical properties of the skin; on the basis of his positive clinical experience he introduced the new method, calling it Kinesio Taping (KT). The experimental technique made its international debut at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, when the distinctive coloured tapes were worn by Japanese athletes. From then on the method achieved global success, first in the United States and then in Europe in 1998. Today there are many variants of the technique, such as Lymph Taping, developed to treat lymphatic system disorders, and Aku Taping, introduced by the German physicians Hecker and Liebchen. In the latter case the adhesive tapes are used in accordance with the course of the acupuncture points, in areas that may be a long way from the site of pain or muscular strain.