As the field of sports medicine and rehabilitation evolves and expands, more of us are recognizing the value of trying non-invasive modalities first, rather than rushing to surgery, for a range of orthopedic problems and mobility disorders. One of the approaches currently gaining traction is kinesiology taping (KT), a hard-to-miss technique for humans and animals, with its bold colors and intriguing patterns. When audiences see KT worn by human athletes at the Olympics, it surges in popularity. Nonetheless, many skeptics dismiss it as “placebo”1 or “pseudoscience.”2 Fortunately, proponents remain undeterred, citing more and better research that elucidates its mechanisms of action and clinical value. KT consists of thin, flexible, and “breathable” tape that stretches to allow for movement and, as a result, sensory stimulation. This differs from rigid athletic tape (AT) that limits motion and inhibits neuronal excitation. For humans, KT attaches directly to skin, much like a Band-Aid. In contrast, veterinary kinesiology tape (VKT) is applied to areas that usually have some amount of fur between the skin and tape, making it harder to stay in place. Some manufacturers of VKT have addressed this concern by opting for thicker material with a stronger, medical-grade adhesive, offering more support and stability. To discourage chewing and ingestion, VKT may have a bitter or unpleasant flavor. Taping patterns in swirling, crisscrossed, and circular arrangements suggest a rational and clinical intent designed to deliver a specific outcome. In the accompanying images, we see “anchored” Hestaband (a type of VKT) above and below longitudinal tapes over a dog’s tarsus (Figure 1). Figure 1. Hestaband on a canine hock. This supports and stabilizes the joint to prevent re-injury and can be used while awaiting an orthopedic brace. Photo courtesy Christa Veinotte In Figure 2, Hestaband supports and comforts a dog’s lumbosacral region. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate equine taping methods, showing, respectively, VKT for a foal with limb issues and on an adult recovering from trauma to the pelvic limb resulting in swelling and bruising. Figure 2. Hestaband applied over the lumbosacral junction of a dog. Taping provides pelvic support for senior dogs as well as those with hip dysplasia or even mild arthritic changes. Photo courtesy Christa Veinotte Figure 3. A foal wearing Hestaband Satin. This tape was originally developed for foal deformities, used to assist with ligament laxities, contractures, and windswept foals. Photo courtesy Christa Veinotte Figure 4. A Hestaband Lymph over the stifle and hamstring areas. Tape is applied to increase circulation, decrease swelling, and help reduce bruising afterreceiving a kick from a pasture mate. Photo courtesy Christa Veinotte Research considerations A common criticism of taping techniques pertains to the lack of consistent guidelines and basic standards.3 Determining “best practices” and testing those against other forms of care could dramatically improve the quality and reliability of KT research. That said, it is nearly impossible to design an inert and convincing sham intervention for physical treatment modalities in the awake patient. That is, placebo surgery would typically require a skin incision. Massage, by definition, makes physical contact with the patient. Similarly, any form of “fake” acupuncture the patient feels impacts the nervous system. As Kaptchuk et al. wrote, “[S]ham acupuncture is not inert or innocuous. And indeed, most methods of sham acupuncture have somatosensory properties and stimulate mechanoreceptors. Touching the skin anywhere induces a certain amount of sensory stimulation and thereby a possible therapeutic effect.”4 Uncertainties and methodological challenges aside, positive findings have emerged that support the premise and purported mechanisms of KT for a multitude of conditions: “Current evidence suggested that kinesiology taping could be recommended to improve upper limb function in patients with stroke in pain intensity, shoulder subluxation, general disability, upper extremity function, and the PROM of flexion.”5 “We conclude that ankle balance taping that uses kinesiology tape instantly increased the walking ability of amateur soccer players with lateral ankle sprain. Therefore, ankle balance taping is a useful alternative to prevent and treat ankle sprain of soccer players.”6 “The meta-analysis showed a significant improvement in gait functions (step velocity, step and stride length and reduction in the base of support in dynamics), reduction in the joint range of motion in inversion and eversion, decrease in the muscle activation of the long peroneus and decrease in the postural sway in movement in the mid-lateral direction. It is possible to conclude that KT provides a moderate stabilising (sic) effect on the ankles of the athletes of most popular contact sports with chronic ankle instability.”7 Other human conditions showing the value of KT include plantar fasciitis,8 hemiplegic shoulder subluxation,9 post-operative dental pain,10 quadriceps muscle strength,11 and low back pain.12 Patients may experience a variety of benefits following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction such as pain reduction,13 faster improvement of range of motion, resolution of edema, and increased thigh circumference.14 For patients with complete ACL rupture and no surgery, those receiving KT showed greater static stability,15 proprioception, strength,16 and functional performance.17 VKT studies are growing in number, too. For horses, the application of KT to the abdominal musculature increased longitudinal activity at the trot18 and reduced signs of thoracolumbar epaxial pain.19 VKT was superior to rigid taping in improving gait and weight transfer in dogs.20 As Christa Veinotte,21 the owner and CEO of Hestaband, noted, “Kinesiology taping has become an invaluable tool in veterinary rehabilitation— not just for performance, but for comfort and recovery. It was inevitable that taping would move from human athletics into animal therapy, but it’s rare to see it go the other way. That’s what makes Hestaband unique—we started in the equine and canine world, and now our work with Acadia University is taking those insights back into human research.” Mechanisms of KT Delving more into the mechanisms, we find that the benefits of KT fall into three main categories: facilitated blood22 and lymphatic fluid flow, mechanoreceptor-driven analgesia, and strengthened muscles and joints. When sufficiently adherent to skin or fur, KT lifts the general “gmish” of what’s beneath the surface, giving more space for vessels, nerves, and lymphatic channels to function adequately. How does this help? Tissues traumatized by injury, surgery, and chronic inflammation may compress local vasculature due to concomitant edema, muscle tension, and fascial restriction. Circulation of blood and lymph slows, setting the stage for inadequate oxygenation, carbon dioxide buildup, tissue acidosis, and the detrimental accumulation of metabolic end-products. Nerves affected by ongoing pressure and oxygen reduction turn to inefficient anaerobic glycolysis for day-to-day energy (ATP) needs. Longstanding energy deficits disrupt the function of sensory, motor, and autonomic nerves, leading to numbness, tingling, weakness, cramping, and thermoregulatory dysfunction. This is where KT comes in—its lifting aspects give nerves room to breathe, impelling fluids to flow and pain to subside. Moreover, when KT activates skin mechanoreceptors, it bolsters endogenous analgesic processes in the brain and spinal cord. Unhappy nerves may also weaken muscles and destabilize joints. Muscles assist ligaments in preserving the mechanical integrity of arthrodial structures through balanced activation, which resists forces and excessive displacement. By stimulating somatic afferent fibers in skin, muscles, and across joints, KT cultivates a more normal level of communication throughout the sensorimotor system.23 KT’s value in rehabilitation medicine is not about structurally supporting joints by limiting motion as athletic tape would do, but rather by physiologically bolstering innate processes that make motor control over joint integrity effective and meaningfully protective. Left uncorrected, impaired reflexes have less ability to prevent repeated microtrauma and, ultimately, joint destruction. Thus, KT’s value in the rehabilitation setting is less about limiting movement and more about bolstering innate injury-preventing processes. From the larger perspective, with all the ways in which integrative rehabilitation and physical medicine measures—such as VKT—reduce pain, improve function, and support resolution of edema and circulatory compromise, why does our profession all too often fast-track animals to surgery when safer measures exist? The side effects, pain, cost, and trauma from VKT and other rehabilitation modalities are negligible in comparison. Plus, VKT has not been implicated in possibly raising the risk of osteosarcoma … unlike certain surgical procedures, such as the TPLO.24 Narda G. Robinson, DO, DVM, MS, FAAMA, practices osteopathic medicine and veterinary medicine. Dr. Robinson taught science-based integrative medicine at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences for 20 years. In 2016, Robinson established CuraCore VET in Fort Collins, Colo., where she teaches medical acupuncture, integrative rehabilitation, medical massage, and other integrative medical approaches. Dr. Robinson is planning to offer certification programs in Sidney, British Columbia, beginning in 2026. Columnists’ opinions do not necessarily reflect those of Veterinary Practice News. References Luz Junior MA, Sousa MV, Neves LAFS, et al. Kinesio Taping® is not better than placebo in reducing pain and disability in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomized controlled trial. Braz J Phys Ther. 2015;19(6):482-490. Oakford GC. Elastic kinesiology tape is eye-catching, but is it effective? The Chronicle of the Horse. July 14 & 21, 2014. Accessed on 11-11-25 at https://thehorseinmotion.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CHRONICLE-Equine-Kinesiology-Taping.pdf Andrýsková A, Lee JH. The Guidelines for Application of Kinesiology Tape for Prevention and Treatment of Sports Injuries. Healthcare (Basel). 2020 May 26;8(2):144. Kaptchuk TJ, Chen K-J, and Song J. Recent trials of acupuncture in the West: Responses from practitioners. Chin J Integr Med. 2010 Aug 8;16(3):197–203. Wang Y, Li X, Sun C, Xu R. Effectiveness of kinesiology taping on the functions of upper limbs in patients with stroke: a meta-analysis of randomized trial. Neurol Sci. 2022 Jul;43(7):4145-4156. Kim MK, Shin YJ. Immediate Effects of Ankle Balance Taping with Kinesiology Tape for Amateur Soccer Players with Lateral Ankle Sprain: A Randomized Cross-Over Design. Med Sci Monit. 2017 Nov 21;23:5534-5541. Biz C, Nicoletti P, Tomasin M, Bragazzi NL, Di Rubbo G, Ruggieri P. Is Kinesio Taping Effective for Sport Performance and Ankle Function of Athletes with Chronic Ankle Instability (CAI)? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Medicina (Kaunas). 2022 Apr 29;58(5):620. García-Gomariz C, García-Martínez MT, Alcahuz-Griñán M, Hernández-Guillén D, Blasco JM. Effects on pain of kinesiology tape in patients with plantar fasciitis: a randomized controlled study. Disabil Rehabil. 2024 Nov;46(23):5490-5496. Yim J, Kim B. Effectiveness of Shoulder Taping in Treating Hemiplegic Shoulder Subluxation: A Randomized Controlled Study of 35 Patients. Med Sci Monit. 2024 May 31;30:e944222. Zheng X, Luo S, Huang C, Wang Z, Lin X. Comparison of kinesiology tape and cryotherapy on postoperative reaction following third molar extraction: a randomized clinical trial. Quintessence Int. 2022 Sep 16;53(9):772-777. Choi IR, Lee JH. Effect of kinesiology tape application direction on quadriceps strength. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018 Jun;97(24):e11038. Abbasi S, Hadian Rasanani MR, Ghotbi N, Olyaei GR, Bozorgmehr A, Rasouli O. Short-term effect of kinesiology taping on pain, functional disability and lumbar proprioception in individuals with nonspecific chronic low back pain: a double-blinded, randomized trial. Chiropr Man Therap. 2020 Nov 20;28(1):63. Chan MC, Wee JW, Lim MH. Does Kinesiology Taping Improve the Early Postoperative Outcomes in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction? A Randomized Controlled Study. Clin J Sport Med. 2017 May;27(3):260-265. Boguszewski D, Tomaszewska I, Adamczyk JG, Białoszewski D. Evaluation of effectiveness of kinesiology taping as an adjunct to rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Preliminary report. Ortop Traumatol Rehabil. 2013 Oct 31;15(5):469-78. Ogrodzka-Ciechanowicz K, Głąb G, Ślusarski J, Gądek A, Nawara J. Does kinesiotaping can improve static stability of the knee after anterior cruciate ligament rupture? A randomized single-blind, placebo-controlled trial. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2021 Mar 16;13(1):24. Kielė D, Solianik R. Four-Week Application of Kinesiotaping Improves Proprioception, Strength, and Balance in Individuals with Complete Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture. J Strength Cond Res. 2023 Jan 1;37(1):213-219. Liu K, Qian J, Gao Q, Ruan B. Effects of Kinesio taping of the knee on proprioception, balance, and functional performance in patients with anterior cruciate ligament rupture: A retrospective case series. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019 Nov;98(48):e17956. Biau S, Burgaud I. Application of kinesiology taping to equine abdominal musculature in a tension frame for muscle facilitation increases longitudinal activity at the trot. Equine Vet J. 2022 Sep;54(5):973-978. King MR, Pavsek H, Ellis KL, et al. J Equine Rehabilitation. Volume 2, 2024, 100007. Accessed on 11-12-25 at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949905424000021?via%3Dihub . Altinkaya N, Pekyavas NO, and Gungor GC. Immediate effects of kinesiotape on gait and static weight-bearing in dog. J Hellenic Vet Med Soc. 2025;76 (1):8829-8836. Christa Veinotte is the founder of Hestaband, a Canadian-based kinesiology tape brand developed specifically for use in veterinary medicine. Veinotte continues to educate and collaborate with professionals worldwide to expand the understanding and practical application of taping in veterinary care. Craighead DH, Shank SW, Volz KM, Alexander LM. Kinesiology tape modestly increases skin blood flow regardless of tape application technique. J Perform Health Res. 2017. Riemann BL and Lephart SM. The sensorimotor system, Part I: The physiologic basis of functional joint stability. J Athl Train. 2002;37(1):71-79. S Selmic LE, Ryan SD, Ruple A, Pass WE, Withrow SJ. Association of tibial plateau leveling osteotomy with proximal tibial osteosarcoma in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2018 Sep 15;253(6):752-756. doi: 10.2460/javma.253.6.752.
