COLORADO — A meta-analysis published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine that reviewed more than 100 studies involving 15,812 participants found that kinesiology tape may provide immediate and short-term pain relief and may improve limb function for musculoskeletal disorders, but concluded that the evidence is very uncertain and the general effects are inconsistent. The review examined kinesiology tape therapy used for conditions including arthritis, osteoporosis, and back and neck pain.

Kinesiology tape, also called KT tape, is a flexible, adhesive cotton tape frequently seen attached to athletes' joints, limbs, or major muscle areas. It is promoted as a treatment for and protection against sports injuries, to stabilize joints, and to manage pain. The tape has gained visibility through high-profile athletes — Serena Williams has worn it on her cheek, and women's volleyball players at the Olympic Games have used it on their bodies.

The researchers wrote that kinesiology tape may improve subjective outcomes that could positively affect a patient's performance and that this finding should not be overlooked. The scientists also suggested that the perceived benefits of kinesiology tape are likely due to a positive placebo effect. Previous research suggests the tape promotes healing by lifting the skin around injured ligaments to increase circulation, and that it may ease pain by reducing swelling and inflammation around pain receptors and blood vessels.

"This study is not showing there's a huge clinical benefit. Usually when it's recommended by a health care professional, KT taping is not a stand-alone treatment, and it certainly doesn't replace regimented rehabilitation and other treatment protocols," said Dr. Rachel Frank, a professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Frank also noted the role that perception may play in the tape's effects. "A placebo effect can help people feel better even if the tape has no impact on their physicality," she said.

In a 2021 online survey of members of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, the Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy, and the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy, 40% of respondents said they used kinesiology tape as a placebo for their patients. According to the Cleveland Clinic, physical therapists usually recommend applying kinesiology tape to the Achilles tendon, back, knee, or soles of the feet.

Joshua Gellert, a physical therapist and board-certified sports clinical specialist at the University of Washington School of Medicine, pointed to sensory mechanisms that may explain the tape's appeal. "The tape can increase the amount of sensory feedback in the body, which can make people feel physically supported," Gellert said. "It can promote a feeling of safety."