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Key Takeaways
- KT tape can help your shoulder heal from injuries by supporting and stabilizing the joint.
- You can wear KT tape for up to five days, even while swimming or bathing.
- Your physical therapist may recommend it as part of your treatment but the research evidence on its benefits is limited.
KT tape can offer a flexible solution to shoulder and rotator cuff pain by promoting stability without limiting your mobility. The scientific evidence is mixed, but many find it helpful as part of their healthcare team’s broader strategy for treatment and recovery.
Click Play to Learn How to Use Kinesiology Tape
Benefits of KT Tape for Shoulder Pain
Kinesiology tape was developed in the 1970s by Dr. Kenzo Kase, who introduced the Kinesio Tape brand. Your physical therapist may recommend KT tape for rotator cuff or other shoulder injuries to help with healing and reduce pain and muscle spasms. It can be used along with exercises to improve the strength and coordination of your rotator cuff muscles and to provide support and stability at the injury site.
KT tape is another name for kinesiology tape, though it is also a brand name. For the purposes of this article, “KT tape” refers to any brand of Kinesio tape, of which there are many.
KT tape is sometimes used to enhance proprioception, which is your awareness of body positioning in space, and to help you pay more attention to the movement of your injured shoulder. However, strong evidence to support this benefit is lacking.
Some people believe KT tape speeds healing by improving blood and lymphatic circulation, though this hasn’t been proven. It is thought to help reduce swelling and scarring after injury.
If you have certain health conditions such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), kidney disease, or congestive heart failure, you may need to avoid using KT tape.
A physical therapist can guide you on when and how to use the tape. It can be applied in specific configurations and angles for different purposes. Typically, the tape can be worn for up to five days during regular activities, but some researchers suggest removing it after 24 hours.
KT Tape Research Findings
Research on kinesiology tape is limited, making its benefits uncertain. Some positive effects might be attributed to the placebo effect.
A 2021 review in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews examined KT taping for rotator cuff injuries across 23 trials involving 1,054 participants. The study found no clear evidence that KT taping reduced pain, improved joint function, or enhanced shoulder range of motion compared with sham taping.
Despite these uncertainties, KT tape carries minimal risks and might be beneficial when used alongside other rehabilitation tools.