How to Use Kinesio Tapes to Relieve Neck Pain

Co-authored by Francisco Gomez

Last Updated: September 1, 2024 References

Kinesio tapes were created by Dr. Kenzo Kase in the 1970s, and are the original elastic therapeutic taping. The purpose of Kinesio tapes is to relieve pain, correct muscle function, reposition subluxated joint and improve circulation of blood/lymph. You can ease pain in your muscles and joints by applying to Kinesio tapes to certain areas of the body.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Preparing to Apply the Kinesio Tape

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1
Know when you should apply Kinesio tape. Kinesio tapes can help with the healing process during and after physical activity, like playing a sport or exercising. This specially made elastic tape can be applied to muscles and joints to decrease pain or swelling, and restore motion.^{[1]
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Research source} It helps joints move more naturally and takes some off the pressure off of your muscles.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Francisco Gomez
Athletic Trainer

Expert Interview. 24 October 2019.}
- You can use Kinesio tape if you experience chronic pain in your neck due to being sore from exercise, to help blood flow during physical activity, or even if you just sit at a desk all day and need some extra relief.
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Get your Kinesio tape. There are several brands of Kinesio tapes on the market and while they all provide the same benefit, the differences mostly come down to how the tape comes packaged. Some brands offer pre cut tapes that are made for specific body parts.^{[3]
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- Some of the top rated tapes are KT Tape, Performtex, Spidertech, Rock Tape.
- To relieve your neck pain with Kinesio tape, you will need three pieces, or strips of tape.
- You can find Kinesio tape at most sporting goods stores or online through shops like Amazon.com
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Cut your strips. Some Kinesio tapes will come in pre cut strips, but if yours don’t, then you will have to cut them for your neck. To get a clean cut of tape, get a sharp pair of scissors.
- Cut a strip of tape about 10 centimeter (3.9 in) long, make a cut vertically along the middle to create a “Y” strip, leaving about 2 centimeter (0.8 in) at the end as the origin point.
- You can also just use two separate strips of 10 centimeter (3.9 in) if you wish.
- Trim the strips to make curved or round corners to prevent peeling, if they are not already.
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Clean your skin. In order for the tape to accurately stick to your skin and lift the epidermis, you need to wash and dry the skin remove any oil and sweat so your tape will stick.^{[4]
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- Grab some soap that will lift the oil off your body without drying your skin up too much.
- Also make sure that you effectively dry off your skin so the tape sticks.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Applying the Kinesio Tape to Your Neck

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1
Stretch your neck muscles.^{[5]
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Research source} Tilt your head forward while in a comfortable sitting or standing position with your feet planted firmly on the floor. Simply bend your neck forward to stretch the Semispinalis, Levator, Scapulae, Upper Trapezius, Scalenes, and Splenius Capitus (the muscles that are in your neck, connecting to your shoulders).
- You want to comfortably bend your neck forward as if you are trying to touch your chin to your neck, but don’t stretch it so far that you are hurting yourself.
- Stretch the muscles until you feel a taut pulling sensation.
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Apply the vertical strips. Your first step is to apply the two vertical primary “I” strips that run vertically and mostly parallel to your spine. Place the strips starting just 1 centimeter (0.4 in) below the hairline.^{[6]
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- You want to peel the strips as you place them down the neck as if you’re peeling a band-aid.
- As you pull down the vertical “I” strips, you want you to create a slight stretch of about 10 to 15 percent. This means pulling on the tape just slightly with the end that hasn’t been placed on the skin yet.
- Depending on if you are feeling pain in the center of your neck or on each side of the spine, you can create an upside down “V” or the fork of a “Y” with the strips or place them parallel. The tails should end near the trapezius muscle, which is just above the shoulder blade.
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Apply the horizontal “I” strip. Peel the tape and place it horizontally over the area of your neck where you are experiencing pain. You want to place the horizontal strip so that it forms a bit of an “A” shape with the other strips.
- For the horizontal strip, you want something closer to 75 percent stretch.
- To do this, pull the strip to full stretch and then ease up slightly. Next, place the center of the strip on the skin first and even it out on either side, applying pressure until you get towards the ends, letting them stick to the skin without any stretch.
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Rub the tape to heat and activate the glue. To get the glue to become as adhesive as possible, you want to give it a good rub so that you ensure it sticks, and there are no bubbles in the tape.
- When Kinesio tape is correctly applied, it it relieves pain by lifting the top layers of your skin, relieving pressure and allowing for better blood flow and muscle movement.^{[7]
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- If your tape isn’t as adhesive as possible, you may not get the full effects.

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Tips

While Kinesio tape has been popular among athletes, there isn’t too much scientific evidence to back up the tape’s effectiveness. If severe pain persists, go to your doctor.^{[8]
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Do not shower or bath within one hour after applying the tape.

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It’s best to have someone help you with applying the Kinesio tape onto the back of your neck to ensure that it is placed properly

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