Orthopedics-Online

Taping the knee

introduction

With so-called taping, certain parts of the body are covered with elastic, plaster-like adhesive strips using a special technique. This is intended to relieve and stabilize the muscles in this part of the body, so that tension, injuries and overload can be prevented.

Many athletes use kinesio tapes to support their joints and muscles. Since the knee joint is a very stressed joint, it is particularly popular with taping. The tapes are particularly often used to stabilize the kneecap when it slips out of its position more frequently under load.

People who have knee pain during sports or in everyday life also use kinesio tapes to relieve their knees. Many people therefore benefit subjectively from the effectiveness of the tape dressings, even if the actual effectiveness of the tapes has not yet been proven in scientific studies.

Taping for meniscus problems

Tape bandages can be used to alleviate symptoms in the case of complaints to the inner meniscus or outer meniscus. However, a doctor should first clarify whether there is an injury that requires another therapy. If nothing speaks against it, you can finally start taping. It is important that the relevant area of skin is cleaned beforehand and, if the hair is thick, shaved first, as only then will the tape stick properly. Various adhesive techniques can be used for menisci complaints.

The first technique is to cut a short and two long strips of tape. The short strip is then glued horizontally below the kneecap with the knee bent. The two long strips, each beginning below the kneecap, are glued to the right and left of the kneecap up to the thigh. As little tension as possible should be exerted on the tape, otherwise skin irritation can occur. Then the tape must be rubbed vigorously with the fingers so that the adhesive of the tape is activated and holds properly.

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The knee joint is one of the joints with the greatest stress.

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Taping a cruciate ligament tear

Kinesio tapes can support conservative (i.e. non-surgical) therapy in the event of a cruciate ligament tear by stabilizing the knee and stimulating the blood circulation in the knee. It is important that the tape can be applied according to instructions from the attending physician or physiotherapist, otherwise the effect will be lost if it is used incorrectly.

Before taping, the skin on the knee is cleaned and hair should also be removed for better adhesion. To tape the knee you need 3 strips. The knee is slightly bent during the entire gluing process. The first strip is affixed centrally and across the patellar tendon (i.e. directly below the kneecap). The second strip is stuck on about 15 cm above the kneecap on the front, outer thigh. The strip is then passed along the side of the kneecap and then pulls across the patellar tendon diagonally to the inside of the lower leg. The same thing happens with the third strip, only this time the tape is stuck on the front inside of the thigh and then leads to the outer side of the lower leg.

The tape can then remain on the knee for almost a week until it is changed.

You may also be interested in this topic:

Splint for treating a torn cruciate ligament
Operation of a torn cruciate ligament

Taping for knee pain

In the case of non-specific pain, the knee can be stabilized and relieved using kinesio tapes.

However, the movement of the knee should not be restricted. In order to support the musculoskeletal system and relieve the pain, 4 strips - each about 25-30 cm long - of the kinesio tape are required. These are then attached around the kneecap. If the knee is slightly bent, the first strip is glued to the inside of the knee. The second strip is then attached to the outside of the knee. The upper and lower ends of the strips are glued around the kneecap so that the kneecap is finally framed by the tape. The last two strips serve to stabilize the tape bandage and are attached to the other two tapes on the inside and outside, running straight from the thigh to the lower leg.

The bandage can then be left in for 7-10 days before changing.

Further information:

Knee pain
Knee brace
Cruciate ligament overstretched

Taping for knee osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis is a widespread disease that usually arises from age-related wear and tear or incorrect / overloading of the knee joint over a long period of time. The cartilaginous joint surface is damaged. The result is pain that initially only occurs when you start walking, later on to persistent pain when exercising or finally to pain at rest.

Kinesio tapes have also proven themselves in osteoarthritis of the knee and have given many patients relief.

If you have pain in the hollow of your knee, cut two long strips of tape. These are then glued to the two large muscle strands on the right and left of the hollow of the knee with the leg extended. If the pain is more in the front or inside the joint, the tape bandage is also applied more in front. For example, a wide strip of tape can be cut from below to create a Y-shaped strip. The beginning of the strip is glued on above the kneecap, the two legs of the Y are then curved past the kneecap to the right and left with the knee bent so that they meet again below the kneecap. For stabilization, another strip of tape can be stuck horizontally over the point below the kneecap where the two Y-legs meet.

Taping to support the kneecap

The kneecap can be stabilized very well with tapes. Some people are prone to so-called Kneecap dislocationswhere the kneecap slips out of its bony plain bearing. This can very painful be and long term too Damage to the knee joint to lead.

In addition, some people suffer from one Retropatellar arthrosis, in which Arthritic changes just behind the kneecap have formed. This can also be very painful.

To stabilization the kneecap and discharge Kinesio tapes can be affixed to the joint. As already described above, a Y-shaped tape bandage can also be applied here. The tape is affixed with its connected end above the kneecap, the two legs of the Y are applied to the right and left in an arc-shaped course along the kneecap, so that both ends meet again below the kneecap. The kneecap itself remains free. For better stabilization, two additional adhesive strips can be attached horizontally above or below the kneecap.

Alternative to Y-shaped tape You can also use two independent long strips of tape that are glued to the right and left of the kneecap so that they meet at the top and bottom. For fixation, two more tape strips should be attached horizontally above and below the kneecap. The strips are attached with the knee bent so that the skin wrinkles over the kneecap with subsequent extension of the leg.

Knee tape outside / inside

For complaints in outer area of the knee joint this area can also be taped in isolation to relieve and stabilize it. You will need three strips of kinesio tape - two long and one shorter. When the leg is slightly bent, the first long strip of tape is placed on the outside of the leg a little below the knee joint and should almost reach the hip pass. The second long strip is also glued on and should be glued about halfway over the first strip. Finally, the shorter strip is glued horizontally across the outside of the knee joint. This strip must not be so long that its two ends touch on the inside of the knee joint.

If you have complaints about the Inside of the knee joint a slightly different adhesive technique is used. Again, three strips of tape are required - a very long, a medium and a short strip. The longest strip is placed on the inside of the leg a little below the knee joint and glued diagonally across the front of the thigh to the hip. Bend your knee a little. The second strip is placed under the kneecap and then glued along the inside of the thigh towards the groin. When gluing, no tension should be exerted on the tape. The shorter strip of tape is then stuck horizontally across the inside of the knee joint. This strip must not be so long that its two ends touch on the outside of the knee joint.

Tap your knees for jogging

Some athletes suffer from Knee pain when jogging. Kinesio tapes can help alleviate the discomfort and relieve the knee joint. Here you can different bonding techniques be applied.

Techniques that use the Stabilize the kneecap, for example that Y-shaped tapewhich is placed above the kneecap. The two legs of the Y are then guided along the right and left of the kneecap so that they meet again below the kneecap. When a even stronger stabilization if desired, two additional strips of tape can be attached horizontally above and below the kneecap.

For complaints that are primarily the starting point of the Patellar tendon On the shin bone, it can also help to cross two strips of kinesiotape on the point of attachment of the tendon to glue.

Kinesio tapes for the knee

Pain in the knee, for example, after long runs or sports such as basketball or sprinting, can be relieved using kinesio tapes. It is important to apply the tapes correctly following good instructions so that the desired effect can be achieved.

There are kinesio tapes in different colors: red / pink, green, black, beige, blue, orange and green. The color of the tape determines the predominant effect. For example, if the knee is swollen and painful, blue tape should be used. If the blood circulation in the knee is to be promoted, red or pink tape is used. Beige tape can always be used because it has a neutral effect. There are many different manufacturers of kinesio tapes. Which one fits best must therefore unfortunately be tried out individually. In preparation for taping, the knee should be cleaned and, if possible, freed of hair so that the tape can adhere properly.

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