Taping, which is one of the supportive and important treatment approaches of the rehabilitation process, is used to prevent injuries, reduce risk, increase proprioceptive sense, and facilitate return to active physical activity and sports. Since standard tape and tape applications used before 1970 are factors that cause limitations in physical activities in functional joint movements, Japanese chiropractic and acupuncture specialist Dr. Kenzo Kase developed a kinesiology taping technique as a result of a 2-year study by Dr.Kenzo Kase.
Kinesio tape, which is an effective treatment method as an alternative to orthotic treatment methods and allows for special application, is a cotton tape in different colors with an acrylic structure adhesive surface that can extend up to 140% of its current size. Its flexible structure has the thickness and elasticity of the skin, which is compatible with the stretching and flexibility of the skin. It consists of polymer elastic fibers wrapped in 100% cotton fibers. When the kinesio tape, which has a similar structure and weight of the epidermis layer, is compared with other tapes;
It is elastic, not rigid.
-does not prevent deep breathing,
-allows full joint movement,
– It is water resistant,
-supports and increases circulation
-used in clinical applications.
– used for a long time. (depending on the application technique, it can stay on the epidermis for 24 hours to 3 days)
-no pre-taping material is required.
retains its elastic properties for 34 days.
It can be used in combination with alternative treatment methods such as cold application, hydrotherapy, electrical stimulation, and acupuncture.
Due to its many features, the kinesio taping technique is preferred by many health professionals in the treatment process, in accordance with the kinesio taping bonding principles, and is preferred by podologists to protect foot health, support podological treatments, and post-treatment protection.
HOW THE MECHANISM OF THE KINESIO TAPE TECHNIQUE WORKS
Depending on the degree of tension;
Stimulates mechanoreceptors through the skin
The stimulated mechanoreceptors send signals to the central nervous system.
Kinesio tape creates a positional stimulation in the applied area and corrects the alignment of the fascia tissue.
It facilitates circulation by lifting the subcutaneous soft tissues.
It reduces edema by directing the exudate to the lymphatic pathways in the painful and inflamed area.
Limiting or increasing joint movements.
It reduces pain with sensory stimulation.
WHAT ARE THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS AFFECTED BY KINESIO TAPE?
The purpose of taping is to restrict the movement of injured joints, reduce swelling, prevent soft tissue compression, support anatomical structures and prevent re-injury while providing rehabilitation and prophylaxis, while affecting 5 basic physiological systems. These are skin, fascia, muscle, joint, circulatory-lymphatic system.
PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECT ON SKIN
In injured and damaged tissue, pressure occurs on blood vessels, lymph channels and pain neurons in the dermis. When the kinezo tape is applied to the epidermis, it creates folds at the bottom and lifts the dermis up, creating a gap between them. Thanks to this effect, homestasis is achieved. At the same time, the stimulation of nociceptors (pain neurons) is inhibited. By reducing the pressure on the blood and lymphatic vessels, the balance of the tissue is ensured.
PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECT ON FACIAL
Dermis and fascia differentiate from mesoderm in embryological development. Thanks to this differentiation, it is possible for them to affect each other with Kinesio banding.
In injuries with impaired fascia integrity or decreased mobility, loosening the myofascia and ensuring the smoothness of the fascia accelerate the healing by stimulating the contractile feature required for the muscle.
Physiological effects on muscle
By bringing the muscle tissue to the appropriate length and tension ratio with kinesio taping, it provides the optimal strength to be released due to the establishment of the cross bridge at the most appropriate level during the muscle contractile. Thanks to the taping techniques applied according to the acute or chronic condition of the problem, it accelerates the healing process of the muscles and preserves their anatomical characteristics.
When gluing the kinesio tape, which is claimed to be related to the Golgi tendon organ of the impact mechanism, the beginning part should be on the muscle-tendon junction. Kinesio tape applied to the muscles is applied to stimulate and inhibit the muscle. The bonding method is different for both therapies.
When applying to stimulate the muscle, it should be applied from the origin (beginning) of the muscle to the insertion (end). In some cases, while the band is not stretched, sometimes 25-50% can be done.
When applying to inhibit the muscle, the application should be made from the insertion to the origin of the muscle. In some cases, light stretching is done, sometimes only part of it is stretched.
Physiological effects on the joint
In pathological conditions affecting the joint, the kinesio tape technique, which allows full joint movement and does not restrict the range of motion, is applied to regulate joint biomechanics and support ligament and tendon function, and supports joint function by acting on muscle function. Increases kinesthetic awareness.
While supporting the function of the joint, applying mechanical force and providing stabilization, the patient can be actively moved and the mechanoreceptors can be stimulated during the application of the adhesive tape, thereby limiting the movement or assisting the movement. Thanks to the sensory stimuli created with the kinesio tape, it allows less power to be consumed during muscle contraction.
EFFECTS ON THE CIRCULATIONAL LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
The degree of tension of the kinesio tapeng tape applied to regulate the lymphatic circulation varies according to the region. It improves microcirculation in the area where the band is applied, affects endogenous analgesic mechanisms and increases lymphatic system activity.
The mechanism of action, which starts with the stimulation of mechanoreceptors through the skin, creates a positional stimulus by sending a signal to the central nervous system. It facilitates circulation by removing painful fascia and skin, subcutaneous soft tissues, relieves lymphatic pathways and reduces edema.
The kinesio tape, which lifts the skin surface, decreases the pressure and opens the lymphatic circulation, while creating a massage effect. With the effect of the band on the muscles, maximum contraction and relaxation of the muscles is ensured and it also increases the effectiveness of the deeper lymphatic flow.
Where and for what purpose is kinesio tape applied in podological applications?
Kinesiology taping has a wide range of uses, especially in the musculoskeletal system, sports rehabilitation, pediatric patients, neurological diseases, vascular problems, lymphedema and the musculoskeletal system. Adhering to the basic application techniques of the tape, different application forms are being developed day by day and used in different health areas.
Kinezio tapeng, which is especially preferred by podologists in the treatment and applications of ingrown toenails, is used to eliminate the effect that causes problems in foot joint alignment disorders that cause foot and nail deformations.
Hallux valgus 1 metatarsophalangeal joint deformation, known as hallux valgus balance banding, foot emic dislocation, is common in the female population.
Family history, heredity Narrow or high-heeled shoes Having short Achilles tendon Development of joint laxity due to excessive mobility Having flat-footed or splayed (wide and splayed) feet Having weak connective tissues Foot deformations due to foot injuries (such as fractures) Obesity or being overweight and standing for a long time. It is a foot posture disorder caused by causes such as rheumatoid arthritis. HV deformity causes symptoms such as pain, problems with balance, difficulty walking, and problems with shoe selection.
Surgical and conservative methods are used in the treatment of hallux valgus. Conservative treatment options are applied to exclude surgery, delay or support the patient after surgery, prevent recurrence and increase comfort. In addition to planning a treatment according to the level of deformation, conservative treatment methods are preferred in non-advanced hallux valgus treatments. . In conservative treatment, it is very important that the shoe selection is appropriate. If sports shoes are preferred, care should be taken to avoid the medial protrusion of the seam. Stretching exercises are of great importance in conservative treatment. In addition, mechanical corrections that are used outside of shoes such as splint orthoses, which are frequently used in conservative treatment and whose effectiveness has not been fully demonstrated, and that are used in shoes such as silicone, are not recommended by orthopedists today because they are not comfortable for patient use. Instead of these splint applications, which have negative effects, a treatment program consisting of kinesio taping and foot exercises is preferred. In studies conducted to measure the effects of kinesio taping on HV deformity, it was reported that the treatment program reduced hallux valgus angle (HVA) and foot pain, and beneficial effects on walking ability were shown. Today, the hallux valgus taping method, which is preferred by many health disciplines, is also preferred by podologists within the limits of their authority.
In conservative treatment, keeping the joint alignment in an anatomical position both slows down the progression of deformation and can cause secondary nail onycholysis, interdigital calluses,
It is preferred in the podological approach to prevent problems such as ungus incarnatus, under-nail calluses, calluses on the dorsal interphalangeal joint.
Onycholysis – the importance of kinesio taping in the treatment of nail discharge
nail discharge (onycholysis), recognized as the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed
Although it is not seen as a serious nail disease, it creates the infrastructure for nail problems that may occur secondary in cases where it is not treated.
Although onycholysis is a nail problem that does not affect the daily life without pain and can be fixed by itself as the nail grows, there may be external effects that negatively affect the healing of the nail. Apart from dermatological, infectious and hormonal reasons, repetitive trauma, injury and prolonged pressure are the leading causes that can cause onycholysis. Eliminating the primary cause is an important step in obtaining results in the podological approach in cases where nail discharge, which is common in the toes and the thumbs, is caused by the hallux valgus deformation. Distortion of finger postures, which continues with the orientation of the thumb to the lateral, the medial direction of the 1st metatarsal bone and its pronation, creates friction pressure on the nails during walking. Especially in the medial nail folds of the thumb nail, onycholysis may be caused by hallux valgus, a common nail deformation. Elimination of the primary cause is the first step in achieving results in conservative treatment in order to obtain an effective result in the podological approach. After making a general evaluation of the foot, the podologists also give training to perform the kinesio tape taping technique on the patient while applying it to the patient in order to eliminate the onycholysis and prevent its recurrence. It is used because of its easy and practical application, it can be used in shoes and it supports the care that meets the podological needs.
Ungus uncarnatus – the importance of kinesio taping in the treatment of ingrown nails
Ingrown nail is a nail problem that occurs as a result of the lateral fold of the nail turning into the nail bed, and its staging is done according to the presence of pain, edema, erythema, discharge, infection, granulation tissue and nail wall hypertrophy. Ingrown toenails are treated in accordance with the stage of the ingrown nail. While ortonics techniques are preferred in advanced stage ingrown toenails, I and II. In this stage, a gap is created between the lateral nail fold and the nail plate by applying kinesio taping to the lateral nail fold and the contact of the soft tissue with the nail is prevented. Thanks to the folds formed by the kinesio band in the epidermis, the pressure on the nociceptors is reduced as a result of the formation of a gap between the deermis and the pain caused by ingrown nails is relieved. Kinesio tape, which can stay on the skin surface for an average of 72 hours, is changed and repeated until the nail ingrown problem is resolved.
Kinesio taping, which is used for the treatment of ingrown toenails, should be applied carefully by protecting the needs of the individual, the condition of the skin and the movement patterns of the foot.
The painless application provides an advantage for podologists in the treatment of ingrown toenails, and it can be easily applied by the patient after the training.
Interdigital- Clavus Mollis Soft Callus, the importance of kinesio taping in the treatment of calluses between fingers
The causes of calluses between the toes are narrow shoes that are not suitable for the feet and foot posture disorders. Keratin formation induced by the stimulation of the horny layer in the lower layers of the skin and the continuation of the pressure, which occurs due to the shearing effect on the skin between the fingers due to the friction of the fingers in the raft phase due to the deterioration of the foot posture and the disproportionate pressure, proceeds into the skin by hardening and compressing. It can be severely inflamed and painful. Generally, the formation of the clavus mollis between the 5th and 4th fingers can cause the individual to have difficulty standing and cause a bad odor with the formation of discharge.
Although the cause of some little toe deformities is traumatic, neuromuscular, degenerative or congenital, the most important reason for the emergence of foot deformities is wrong shoe wear.
Although small toe deformities require surgery in advanced stages, correct shoe selection and protective treatment are more important in milder cases.
In the little finger deformities, which are caused by the lateral opening of the 5th metatarsal bone and the medial shift of the 5th phalanx, usually interparamcal calluses are observed. Although mechanical removal of the corn relieves the patient, the finger is stabilized in the correct posture with kinesio taping so that it does not form in a short time due to pressure. By increasing the pain between the fingers, the shearing effect caused by pressure and friction on the skin will be eliminated.
The transformation of the little fingers into claw form due to low metatarsal causes narrowing of the distance between the fingers. Taping is done over the skin in order to alleviate the mechanical defects in the forefoot. Posture is stabilized by stabilizing the muscles surrounding the metatarsal joints. With the effect of taping, the fingers come to a neutral position and the pressure between the fingers is eliminated.
It is used because of its easy and practical application, it can be used in shoes and it supports the care that meets the podological needs.
