K-Active Tape, Kinesio Tape, are brand names of Kinesiology Tape. K-Active is a "copycat" brand marketed in Europe while the Kinesio Tape brand is more commonly marketed and distributed in the United States. Also dubbed ‘tattoo tape’. There is also a similar tape known as Leukotape that is not a brand included in this listing since it is different. This review is for the Kinesio tape brand, the original kinesiology tape.

	Click here to See a novice try Kinesio Tape on Plantar Fasciitis
	See Kinesio Taping for the Achilles

Kinesiology Tape Brands in the U.S. and Europe. Kinesio is the original kinesiology tape brand marketing in the U.S. and K-Active is the European brand name which is the copycat brand. See one reviewer's opinion of the difference below.

Prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics, elite and pro athletes as well as some physical therapists and ATCs (athletic trainers) were religious in their use of Kinesio Tape or K-Active Tape in relieving pain and promoting the healing process of injured and surgically-repaired muscles. Loyal users promoted it by word of mouth. Lance Armstrong has written about the tape in his latest book and soccer superstar David Beckham has openly endorsed K-Active brand of this tape.

Until Kerri Walsh applied the tape to her previously injured shoulder in the beach volleyball tournament at the 2008 Olympics, this athletic tape was relatively unknown. Thanks to the marketing genius of donating over 200,000 rolls of it to the Olympic athletes, this tape was thrust into the spotlight.

This is the basic principle behind
Kinesiology tape.

Get Kinesio Tape

Kinesiology, or Human Kinetics, is the science of human movement. It focuses on how the body moves and functions. The practice of Kinesiology involves applying principals of movement to facilitate rehabilitation, prevention and management to maintain, rehabilitate and enhance movement, performance, and function in the areas of sport, activity and labor.

So what is Kinesio Tape?

Print Guide for rank amateurs. Uses layman's terms appropriate for those who do not speak anatomy. Click here for Kinesio Taping Books for Beginners Acupressure Taping- A beginner's guide to taping for chronic pain and injuries This is the book I got. Kineseo Taping Guide for non sports med pros Kinesio Taping Guides for sports med pros. Uses clinical terms and appropriate for ATCs, PAs, PTs, OTCs, MDs and those who know their anatomical terms. (See above for non-clinical guides.) Get the Illustrated Kinesio Taping Clinical Book Guide to Kineseo taping

It’s not glamorous looking and it basically looks like an ordinary roll of tape. For purposes of sports med, this tape helps in ligament injuries, muscle conditioning, fascia repositioning and even carpal tunnel syndrome. This flexible tape is supposed to be applied to the skin in patterns that mimic the muscles. It is designed to support and guide injured muscles and joints for faster rehabilitation without limiting an athlete’s range of motion.

The Kinesio Tape as well as the K-Active Tape is 100-percent cotton and modeled on the thickness and elasticity of real skin. The flexible tape is applied to the skin in specific patterns, and it doesn’t stick until you warm in with your hands in the application process. So you can lay it down in patterns and not have to unstick it to move it since it doesn’t fuse to the skin until you rub it to warm and activate the glue.

From the Kinesio Tape Manufacturer

Extra Water-Resistant Kinesio tape for water sports

Kinesio tape alleviates pain and facilitates lymphatic drainage by microscopically lifting the skin. This effect provides superior lift for improved circulation of the lymph and blood. The end result is that pressure and irritation are taken off the neural and sensory receptors alleviating pain. It is an elite therapeutic and performance product that will allow superior results and benefits.

Benefits of Kinesiology Tape

The key benefit Kinesiology Tape is to reduce and prevent contraction of the affected muscle. It accomplishes this by helping to increase the natural blood flow around the muscle facilitating the natural healing process.

It can be used to reduce localized swelling associated with surgery. But to athletes, the real benefit is that it helps individuals continue with their normal daily routine and sports activities or speeds up the healing process so there’s less time spent on the sidelines.

• Durable and economical: 3 to 4 days per application
• Versatile: 1200 recognized applications
• Revolutionary Design: Microscopically lifts the skin
• Rehabilitates when you use the kinesiology taping method
• It is 100% high grade cotton, latex free, breathable, elastic and maintains flexibility of human skin and muscles
• Heat activated adhesive is mild and hypoallergenic
• Comes in a range of colors and sizes
• Used by pro athletes and organizations including the olympic athletes, NFL MLB and NBA teams
• Cycling, motorsports, soccer, golf, volleyball, basketball, football, tennis, running and other endurance sports

Kinesio Tape or K-active tape has been used by pro athletes. Examples in sports medicine include: Bicyclists use Kinesio® Tex Tape for Patellar Tendonitis Beckham has used it to take the strain off his back Venus Williams has used it to relieve knee pain Coaches used Kinesio® Tex Tape on his riders during and in between stages of the Tour de France as well as overnight to enhance their recovery time Kinesio Tex Tape helped Lance Armstrong with shin splints during his first New York Marathon Safety First racing team first used KinesioTape for fascia muscle injuries and strains by taping the riders' forearm muscles for support which they believe has resulted in preventing or reducing arm pump. Golfers have used it to facilitate healing after ACL knee surgery There is EXTRA WATER PROOF for swimmers.

The art of Kinesiology Taping

This is not tape you slap on randomly. It is supposed to be applied in a specific pattern that follows your muscles in a specific way for particular injuries. There are taping seminars to learn to apply it to specific types of injuries to facilitate healing. There are also books and DVDs for practitioners and for the athlete to learn to apply it correctly to get benefit from it. water resistant

The 2” design is perfect for average sized patients and is easy to use for all four of the most common taping strips, the “I” strip, “Y” strip, “X” strip, “Fan” strip.

The Different Kinesio Strip Types

	Kinesio tape Y Strip	Kinesio X Strip	Fan Strip or Fork Strip

Kinesiology Taping Video Example for Injured Achilles


I asked Dr. Micca, the foot surgeon/physician, here are his comments. "There are two muscles that make up the achilles--the gastrocs which originates above the knee and the soleus which originates below.

Since this taping goes above the knee it is used for an injured achilles-gastrocnemius component (gastrocnemius is the calf muscle). This type of taping is called an Achilles Rest Strap. (Should really be called a gastroc rest strap)."