Tapes

Tapering is both a therapeutic and a prophylactic measure to treat or prevent tennis elbow. The aim of taping is to have a positive influence on the muscles and to relieve the discomfort (especially the pain). Currently there are different types of taping with partially different methods of application.

The most common for the therapy of the tennis elbow is the “Kinesio Tape”, an elastic tape, which was developed in Japan. The Kinesio Tape is made of a cotton base and has different colors depending on its elasticity and strength. The tape can adapt well to the skin surface of the arm in any case due to its special composition.

To apply the Kinesio-Tape, the patient should stretch out the arm and bend the wrist slightly. The treating doctor or physiotherapist now sticks the tape on the back of the hand without exerting any tension. Then the tape is applied under traction along the forearm until just before the elbow.

Here it is important to rub the Kineso-Tape lightly to make it stick better to the skin. Rounding off the corners with scissors also improves the adhesion. In addition to the first tape, a second, slightly shorter tape with a slant is now applied.

This runs from the upper outer area of the arm near the elbow to the inside of the forearm. It is important that this 2nd tape does not run through the elbow. Ideally, the kineso tape should remain on the skin for one week to develop its effect.

As an alternative to the Kinesio-Tape there is the inelastic Leukoplast Tape, which is not stretchable and shows a relieving effect when used on a tennis elbow, and supports the muscle work. Finally, it should be mentioned that the therapeutic effect has not been significantly proven in any study so far. Nevertheless, taping is considered an established method for the treatment and prophylaxis of tennis elbow.

To reduce the pain,
To relieve the muscle,
To ensure an improved proprioception (body perception)
Decongestant effect to show,
And also to optimize lymph and blood flow.