Effects Of Kinesio Tape On Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

PURPOSE: Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), which typically occurs through a bout of unfamiliar exercise (e.g., maximal eccentric contractions), includes marked reductions in strength and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Peak symptoms of DOMS and loss of strength usually occur up to 72 hours post-EIMD. There is a need for effective therapeutic means of reducing the extent of DOMS in the days after exercise. Kinesio tape (KT), which is purported to help lift the skin off underlying tissue to enhance blood flow, may serve as an intervention to expedite the EIMD healing process. This study investigated KT’s effectiveness at recovering strength loss and improving DOMS in upper body, exercise-naïve individuals following eccentric exercise of the bicep. METHODS: 33 participants (male = 10; female = 23) underwent 30 total reps of maximal elbow flexor (EF) eccentric exercise (ECC) and were then randomized into one of three groups: KT (n = 12), placebo (n = 10), or control (n = 11). Forty-eight and 72 hours after ECC, maximal voluntary EF contractions (MVCs) were measured via an isokinetic dynamometer, and pain pressure thresholds (PPT) were measured via an algometer to assess strength recovery and DOMS changes, respectively. A mixed-model ANOVA was conducted to test group differences amongst days (p < 0.05). The Tukey HSD procedure was used for significant main effects and interactions. RESULTS: There were no group x time interactions for MVC or PPT. However, ECC induced significant immediate reductions in MVC in all groups (-32.6 ± 0.18%) and significant DOMS as measured by reduced PPT 48 hours post-ECC (-33.7 ± 0.30%). Furthermore, MVC and PPT values did not return to baseline after 72 hours post-ECC (-20.6 ± 0.21% and -29.8 ± 0.28%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: While evidence exists to support KT’s usefulness, our study suggests that KT does not improve pain sensitivity or the time in which an individual might recover strength after strenuous exercise. However, longer time points may be needed to support this.