Table 2: Clinical perceptions about KT (N=1083).
| *What are common reasons you use KT on your clients? | |
| Performance enhancement | 20.78% (225) |
| Injury prevention | 15.42% (167) |
| Post-injury treatment (e.g. edema, ecchymosis) | 74.24% (804) |
| Pain modulation | 66.85% (724) |
| Neuro-sensory feedback (e.g. proprioception) | 60.30% (653) |
| Myofascial mobility | 24.01% (260) |
| Neuromuscular re-education | 45.52% (493) |
| Pre-exercise warm-up | 1.39% (15) |
| Post-exercise treatment | 6.00% (65) |
| Placebo effect | 40.44% (438) |
| Posture feedback | 0.64% (7) |
| Patient requests KT | 1.38% (15) |
| Joint support | 0.46% (5) |
| Edema or swelling | 0.74% (8) |
| Other | 7.01% (76) |
| *Which factors have influenced how you apply KT to your clients? | |
| Peer reviewed research articles, textbooks | 53.55% (580) |
| Continuing education courses or conferences | 74.33% (805) |
| Manufacturer instructions | 28.90% (313) |
| KT textbooks | 0.83% (9) |
| Websites, social media posts, or videos (e.g. YouTube) | 31.10% (338) |
| Collaboration with other professionals | 74.98% (812) |
| My prior empirical experience | 64.08% (694) |
| Patient interest | 1.66% (18) |
| Other variables not listed | 5.36% (20) |
| *What therapeutic effects do you believe occur with KT? | |
| Enhanced myofascial mobility | 29.46% (319) |
| Pain modulation | 69.80% (756) |
| Increased joint ROM | 15.05% (163) |
| Enhanced stretch tolerance of muscles | 13.48% (146) |
| Enhanced post-exercise recovery | 12.56% (136) |
| Enhanced pre-exercise neuromyofascial excitation | 13.11% (142) |
| Enhanced proprioception and kinesthetic sense | 69.10% (748) |
| Enhance muscle activation/motor control | 0.64% (7) |
| Inhibit muscle activation/motor control | 0.28% (3) |
| Increases in local circulation (e.g. lymphatic) | 65.47% (709) |
| Decreased edema, swelling, and/or effusion | 0.28% (3) |
| Postural awareness | 0.18% (2) |
| Placebo effect | 58.63% (635) |
| Other effects not listed | 3.23% (35) |
| *Which physiological mechanisms do you believe occur with KT? | |
| Tape lifts the skin to allow improved local circulation | 69.16% (749) |
| Tape stimulates skin mechanoreceptors increasing proprioception | 77.00% (834) |
| Tape stimulates skin nociceptors resulting in pain modulation | 60.20% (652) |
| Tape help improve joint range of motion | 15.24% (165) |
| Tape helps improve muscle performance (strength) | 13.85% (150) |
| Tape helps improve muscle activation and motor control | 46.26% (501) |
| Tape can inhibit muscle activation | 31.86% (345) |
| Tape can create a placebo effect | 73.68% (798) |
| Other physiological mechanisms not listed | 1.38% (15) |
| *What therapeutic effects do you believe occur with your preferred KT tension length you use with clients? | |
| Enhanced myofascial mobility | 23.45% (254) |
| Pain modulation | 55.31% (599) |
| Increased joint ROM | 9.42% (102) |
| Enhanced stretch tolerance of muscles | 10.80% (117) |
| Enhanced post-exercise recovery | 6.74% (73) |
| Enhanced pre-exercise neuromyofascial excitation | 10.06% (109) |
| Enhanced proprioception and kinesthetic sense | 58.73% (636) |
| Increases in local circulation (e.g. lymphatic) | 43.31% (469) |
| Placebo effect | 43.86% (475) |
| Joint stability | 0.83% (9) |
| Muscle inhibition | 0.18% (2) |
| Other effects not listed | 1.01% (11) |
| **Which general precautions do you believe are most important with kinesiology tape? | |
| Skin reaction/allergy (e.g. irritation, itching) | 50.69% (549) |
| Thin skin (e.g. common in elderly) | 25.48% (276) |
| Lymph node removal | 2.86% (31) |
| Connective tissue disorder (e.g. Marfan syndrome) | 3.79% (41) |
| Medications that alter sensation | 1.57% (17) |
| Pregnancy | 1.39% (15) |
| impaired or altered sensation | 9.08% (87) |
| Unusual pain or discomfort | 6.19% (67) |
| ***What other precautions should professionals consider with kinesiology tape? | |
| No other precautions | 94.92% (1,028) |
| Prior skin reaction to KT | 0.74% (8) |
| Allergy to adhesives or latex | 0.74% (8) |
| Patient understanding, compliance, and self-efficacy | 1.01% (11) |
| Patient ability to self-apply tape | 0.37% (4) |
| Patients with impaired judgement/cognition | 0.65% (7) |
| Other reason not listed above | 1.57% (17) |
| **Which contraindications do you believe are most important with kinesiology tape? | |
| Diabetes | 2.40% (26) |
| Peripheral neuropathy | 1.39% (15) |
| Acute injury | 1.57% (17) |
| Skin with open wounds or lesions | 32.87% (356) |
| Allergy to adhesives, latex, or synthetic tapes | 33.33% (361) |
| Deep vein thrombosis | 4.80% (52) |
| Congestive heart failure | 1.66% (18) |
| Malignancy (active) | 3.51% (38) |
| Renal insufficiency | 0.28% (3) |
| Infection or fever | 1.85% (20) |
| Undiagnosed rash or skin irritation | 3.69% (40) |
| Inability to communicate | 13.48% (146) |
| Lymph edema | 0.55% (6) |
| **What other contraindications should professionals consider with kinesiology tape? | |
| No other contraindications | 84.76% (918) |
| Patient willingness, mental status, or dependence | 1.11% (12) |
| Inability to reach a body region | 0.74% (8) |
| Skin sensitivity or tolerance | 1.66% (18) |
| Fragile or thin skin | 1.94% (21) |
| Other contraindications not listed | 9.79 (106) |
* Respondents chose all options that applied to them; **Respondents ranked their answers; ***Respondents provided answers in a comment section; KT= kinesiology tape; ROM=range of motion