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Relieve Knee Pain: How to Tape Your Knee Effectively
Written by Janne SakkinenOMT & Occupational Health Physiotherapist, University InstructorPublished 2024-10-04
In short
Janne demonstrates two knee taping techniques that use slight rotation of the leg to offload painful structures (e.g. in osteoarthritis), showing exactly where and how to apply the tape strips.
Clinical keywords#Relieve Knee Pain: How to Tape Your Knee Effectively#Spine, joint & pelvic floor#OMT Physical Therapist Janne Sakkinen#TMJ Disorders#Bruxism#Jaw Pain
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Full video transcript & clinical text
6 paragraphsHave you experienced knee pain that started without any injury and you feel like you want some sort of relief somehow? Can you tape your knee? Of course you can - this is such an inexpensive experiment that it only costs a few euros, just the price of traditional sports tape.
If, for example, you need to adjust the load on the knee due to osteoarthritis, the easiest way is through slight rotation. Which of these rotations matches your symptoms more typically? A small change in rotation can affect the knee function in a way that the familiar symptoms begin to ease, and when the symptoms are gone there is no need for taping anymore - just enjoy your active life.
First we go over the less common taping technique that helps some, but through small adjustments the final knee taping method seems to work amazingly well, so be sure to check out both versions so you know what's worth trying.
Start by standing with your weight distributed evenly on both legs, then step forward with the leg on the affected side. Keep your knee straight and rotate your foot slightly towards the body's midline, about 20 to 30 degrees. After this, bend your knee a bit and then rotate your thigh outwards. Find the large bony bump at the top of your shin bone - that's where the quadriceps muscle attaches - this will be the starting point for the tape. From there guide the tape towards the inner side of the knee, around the back of the knee, and run it all the way to the outer thigh. Make sure that the tape doesn't cross the knee crease horizontally, as it tends to bunch up at that height and could easily irritate the skin. Always overlap each strip of tape by 50%, so one tape strip is halfway over the other. You can start with three or four strips and then add support tapes around the shin and the thigh to prevent the tape from rolling off.
How does this affect the knee pain you were feeling? Next, try this: stand with your weight evenly distributed on both feet, then step forward with the leg on the affected side. Keep the knee straight, but this time rotate your foot outwards, away from the midline of the body. A good starting angle is 20 to 30 degrees. After that, bend your knee slightly and then rotate your thigh inwards towards the body's midline. Find the large bony bump at the top of your shin bone - this is the starting point for the tape - and guide the tape around the outside of the knee, across the back of the knee diagonally, and when you reach the inner thigh, cut the tape. Again overlap the strips by half, and use three or four strips of tape.
After that, apply the support strips and test how it affects your knee pain. ---
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Q: What clinical topics are covered in "Relieve Knee Pain: How to Tape Your Knee Effectively"?
Janne demonstrates two knee taping techniques that use slight rotation of the leg to offload painful structures (e.g. in osteoarthritis), showing exactly where and how to apply the tape strips.
Q: How are the instructions in "Relieve Knee Pain: How to Tape Your Knee Effectively" applied to cervical and musculoskeletal rehabilitation?
The video demonstrates specific movement patterns and clinical exercise progressions: Have you experienced knee pain that started without any injury and you feel like you want some sort of relief somehow? Can you tape your knee? Of course you can - this is such an inexpensive experiment that it only costs...
Q: When should you seek an OMT physical therapy consultation for symptoms related to this topic?
If symptoms relating to "Relieve Knee Pain: How to Tape Your Knee Effectively" persist for more than 1–2 weeks, interfere with sleep or daily function, an in-person OMT evaluation is recommended to identify the root cause and ensure proper rehabilitation.
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Get free PDF guides (Google Drive)Medical disclaimer: The information presented in this article is strictly for educational purposes and does not replace a clinical physical therapy evaluation, medical diagnosis, or individualized treatment plan.