FAQ Therapeutic Taping

If you’ve ever driven a German car, you know they over-engineer everything. (It took me four years to figure out the windshield wipers on my old Passat—true story.) And honestly? I prefer that kind of overthinking when it comes to healing. Which is why I lean toward Cover-Roll Stretch tape, made by the German company BSN Medical—an industry classic for structural stability.

BSN Medical also makes Leukotape-P, which is the tough, tan duct tape of the taping world. It goes over Cover-Roll to add serious reinforcement—think ankles, knees, torn ligaments. (Let me say it three times for the folks in the back: Leukotape goes over the white tape or it will rip your skin off. Not kidding.)

The PT world seems to have collectively forgotten about structure and stability. Instead, they’re obsessed with flashy elastic tapes like Rock Tape, KT Tape, and Kinesio Tape—all colorful, overpriced, and often applied without any real anatomical intention. Most of these products are more fashion than function.

Curtis Turchin, who’s been a mentor of mine and a leader in the field for decades, developed his own style of taping that actually makes sense for human structure. The guy’s been teaching clinicians how to tape with purpose—not just stretch and stick. Below is a video of Curtis walking you through the different types of tape and when to use what.

These days, my go-to for stretchy tape is Hampton Adams Kinesiology Tape. It's more affordable than Rock Tape and honestly works better in many cases—especially for areas like the kneecap or behind the knee where elasticity matters.

Tape Truth Bomb:

Pretty tape won’t fix a torn ankle. Structure matters. Use the right stuff.

Can You Shower with Kinesiology Tape?

Absolutely. You can shower with kinesiology tape—just don’t soak in a tub like you’re Cleopatra. A quick rinse won’t kill it, but a long bath might loosen the adhesive and send your tape floating off like a sad little jellyfish.

If your tape holds its shape after the shower, you’re golden—no need to reapply. If it’s peeling off like a bad relationship, it’s time to retape.

And bonus tip: a warm shower is also the gentlest way to remove sports tape—especially if you’ve got sensitive skin or you’re prone to tape rash. Just let the water loosen the glue and peel it slowly. No need to cry in the bathroom like it’s a waxing appointment gone wrong.

Real Talk Recap:

Yes, you can shower with kinesiology tape. No, don’t soak in a bath. And if tape rash is your nemesis, warm water is your bestie.

Nope, not really. If you’re asking does red light therapy work through clothes? The answer is: not effectively. Same goes for kinesiology tape. Both red and infrared light need direct contact with bare skin to do their deep-tissue magic.

Fabric, tape, or anything between the light and your body acts like a wall—especially for the longer wavelengths of near-infrared.

So strip down (at least that area), get comfy, and let the photons do their thing. No tape, no tights, no terry cloth robes. Skin-to-light, baby.

If your first steps out of bed feel like you’re walking on broken glass, welcome to the gnarly club of plantar fasciitis. I’ve had it in both feet, and let me tell you—hobbling to the bathroom like a grumpy goblin is no way to start your day.

Forget overpriced orthotics or gimmicky gadgets. Sometimes, natural remedies for plantar fasciitis can be as simple as taping your foot the right way.

In this short, super-useful video, my mentor Dr Turchin shows how taping can be the best arch support for plantar fasciitis using just three strips. Yes, that’s my real foot (and yes, I was desperate). This is budget-friendly, DIY-friendly, and—shockingly—effective.

Whether you're battling arch tenderness, trying to avoid the worst thing to do with plantar fasciitis, or just feel like your feet are staging a revolt, this trick can take the edge off—without taping your wallet to death.

Foot taping for arch support can be your secret weapon. How long you'll need it depends on how deep those micro-tears go. But taping foot for arch support gives a kind of support you feel—and fast.

Pro tip: use Cover-Roll stretch tape as your base. If things are wicked bad, layer on some Leuko-P for extra reinforcement. And for a little comic relief when you’re fed up, try putting a tiny strip of Cover-Roll stretch tape on your cat’s paw and watch the chaos unfold. Trust me—plantar fasciitis sucks, but laughter is medicine.

I have no idea how I shredded the living hell out of my knee ligaments. Could’ve been hanging off a cliff, gripping poison oak for dear life (hot tip: deep root systems save lives). Or maybe it was my snowboarding phase—big jumps, small skills, zero common sense. Honestly though, the real culprit was probably five years of cheerleading on a basketball court. Cute skirts, no knee pads, just me and my patella sliding around like I was invincible.

Now? This girl is still rehabbing both knees. But let me tell you: taping for knee pain has been a lifesaver. It lets me keep playing hard and pretending my ligaments aren’t half-MIA.

But listen up—taping the knee isn’t just about slapping on some stretchy stuff and hoping for the best. If you don’t want your skin to rebel, you’ve gotta be mindful of tape rash. The skin around the knee is thinner and constantly moving—translation: it’s drama-prone.

In this quick, no-BS video, Dr Curtis Turchin Sebastopol, a chiropractor with Jedi-level hands, demonstrates kinesiology tape placement like the pro he is. Watch closely and you’ll be taping like a beast in no time.

Pro Tips:

• Use Smith & Nephew Skin-Prep Protective Barrier Wipes before taping. Trust me, it helps prevent tape drama.

• Want something more natural? Aloe gel or good ol’ milk of magnesia does the trick too.

• Whatever special sauce you choose, make sure it dries completely before applying tape.

Tape can last several days on the knees—sometimes even a week. But if your skin starts getting pissy? Take a break. Healing is a marathon, not a sprint (and certainly not a cheer jump onto hardwood).

Watch Dr. Turchin - Expert Knee Taping in Action

I’ve had so many whiplashes and concussions that my neck ligaments felt like those stretched-out rubber bands my brothers used to snap at me as a kid. Classic sibling love.

So, when clients ask me, how does kinesiology tape work, while staring at the teeny tiny piece on my neck, I get it. It looks like it’s doing nothing—but it’s actually doing plenty.

In the video below, you'll see Dr Turchin demo his go-to neck taping method. But truth? I don't love this one for myself. My go-to self taping trick is placing a short one-inch strip right behind the ear, just before the hairline. It’s sneaky, subtle, and one of the best hacks I’ve found for supporting a microtear in those delicate neck ligaments.

Bonus: your hair usually hides it, so you’re not walking around looking like a walking roll of duct tape.

When it comes to chronic neck flare-ups or lingering injury, I always mix in red and infrared led light therapy. That combo of deep tissue light, athletic tape for pain and targeted strengthening has helped transform the neck I once thought was permanently busted.

So yeah—tape may be tiny, but it’s mighty. And if you’re wondering why does kinesiology tape work the answer is simple: it gives your body just enough backup to start healing itself. Without locking you into a neck brace that makes you look like a car accident lawsuit.

I was at a concert last weekend and watched a proud dad swing his barely-one-year-old daughter by the arms. Her whole body dangled from tiny shoulder ligaments like a puppet—and my stomach did a slow somersault. I remember loving that game as a kid too. Who knew that decades later I’d be reaching for tape for shoulder pain and cursing those joyful childhood moments?

Honestly, my shoulder saga could have started there. Or maybe it was from years of wild partner dancing—like the time some overzealous swing lead nearly ripped my arm out of its socket. I used to warn guys: if you spin me too hard, I’ll throw up on your vintage saddle shoes. Kinesiology taping for shoulder pain was the only reason I could keep dancing with those wingnuts.

But what really did me in? Backpacking for the U.S. Forest Service. We’re talking oversized, swampy backpacks stuffed with wetsuits, notebooks, and a million pounds of gear. If only I had known then how powerful athletic tape for shoulder pain could be. My shoulders wouldn’t have been crying in twelve dialects.

These days, I swear by Cover-Roll stretch tape. It’s easy to apply and doesn’t scream “sports injury” when worn under your tank top. Pro tip: start your first strip right at the outer end of the clavicle and angle it out toward the shoulder’s lateral edge. Three strips = shoulder bliss.

Of course, my mentor Dr Turchin —aka Curtis Turchin —once looked at my shoulders and said, “You taped that like a toddler with a roll of Scotch tape.” He wasn’t wrong. But once he showed me how to anchor the tape across the ligament-rich front of the joint, it was like my shoulders grew new life.

Taping is only part of the healing cocktail. For real results, I always pair shoulder taping for pain with targeted exercises for shoulder pain and daily shoulder pain exercise routines. Add in sessions with the best professional LED light therapy machine especially one with potent infrared lights and you’ve got a recipe for real recovery.

Clients always ask, how long does it take a shoulder strain to heal? The short answer? It depends. The honest one? Most folks are dealing with an old injury pretending to be new. That shoulder tweak from last week? Probably a ghost from your past—like that dance partner who spun you into another dimension.

Let’s be real—can I walk on my sprained ankle after 3 days? This was never a question I asked back in my college track days. We’d soak in this huge metal basin of ice till we screamed than slap on a sock, and limp to the starting line.

Total badassery or total stupidity? You decide. Either way, I left that phase of life with ankles that felt more like chewed gum than stable joints.

Now that I’m older and (allegedly) wiser, how to tape your ankle has become one of my top tricks to survive those ancient injuries that still whisper sweet nothings every time I try to hike, dance, or even walk barefoot to the mailbox.

Why Taping Still Matters (Even Years Later)

The beauty of taping for ankle pain is that it acts like a backup ligament—a fake friend that actually shows up. Taping of the ankle isn’t just for fresh injuries; it’s for old war wounds too. And if your ankle feels like it might give out just from thinking about a staircase? That’s where taping for ankle stability really shines.

I use ankle tape like armor: one piece above the lateral ankle bone, wrapping under the foot to mimic the support of a real, functioning ligament. Since most sprains involve rolling the ankle inward, I always recommend including a couple of strips across the top of the foot too. You’ll be amazed at how supported your taped ankle feels—like your body forgot you ever tore the crap out of those tendons in the first place.

Taping for Sprains: Anatomy Class Lite

Watching Dr. Turchin demonstrate taping for ankle sprain makes it easier to dial in your technique. I’ll be honest—I tweak his method a bit. His method is a solid base, but my ankles were a hot mess, and I need reinforcements.

If you’re dealing with serious instability—the kind that makes your ankle feel like it could fold just walking across the kitchen—then yes, taping for ankle stability is your new religion. Start learning your ligaments. You don’t need a full anatomy degree, just enough to know which ones are screaming for help.

The Secret Sauce: Cover-Roll + Leukotape P

Sometimes Cover-Roll stretch tape isn’t quite enough for ankles that are seriously messed up. That’s where Leukotape P comes in.

This stuff is no joke—ultra sticky, supportive, and built like a tank. But here’s the trick: you need to put the brown tape over the white tape, not directly on your skin. A tiny overlap onto the skin is fine to anchor it, but full contact? That’s a fast track to a fiery, itchy tape rash you’ll be regretting for days.

Think of Leukotape as the bodyguard of the taping world—it’s not delicate, it’s not forgiving, but when used correctly, it works like a dream.

But Wait—Is Taping Enough?

Not always. For fresh injuries, you might revisit the basics of how to wrap a sprained ankle—but skip the ice. It’s just an analgesic, not a healer. I’d rather plug into my red and infrared LED lights to actually rebuild ligaments and reduce pain. Once the initial freak-out phase is over, it’s all about smart support while your body does the real repair work.

Taping gives the joint the structure it needs while you work on healing from the inside out—through better movement, realignment, and long-term fascia and ligament care. It’s not just first aid—it’s a strategy.

Bottom line: Whether you’re nursing an old injury or dealing with a new sprain, ankle taping can change the game. Tape with purpose, tape with sass, and maybe—just maybe—you’ll stop hobbling across the living room like your 90-year-old uncle.

I’ve broken my pinky toe more times than I’ve changed phone chargers. The last time? I walked full force into my husband’s hard plastic camera case that was lurking halfway into the doorway like a midnight landmine. I snapped my fourth toe in two places and shredded three ligaments. Classic.

Because let’s be real: no one breaks a toe doing something heroic. It’s always the dumb stuff—table legs, bed corners, rogue suitcases. But the pain? Outrageous. You know it’s broken when just brushing it against the floor sends you into orbit. Sprains let you walk. Fractures make you swear.

So, how to tape a fractured toe isn’t about taping it to its neighbor and calling it a day. I know the internet loves a good buddy taping hack, but let me just say it: buddy taping is the worst if you're dealing with the real deal. Taping a broken toe the wrong way will tilt the healing bone toward the toe you’ve lashed it to. Great if you want a lifetime of janky toes and cute little arthritis souvenirs.

Instead, when taping fractured toes, treat the toe like the tiny diva it is. Wrap a strip of tape on all four sides—think toe mummy, not toe hostage. This keeps it straight, stable, and less whiny. Do it for each toe individually, and do not skimp. If it’s obviously misaligned, you’ll want to see someone who can realign it before you trap it in a tape coffin. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself.

Once it’s taped right, the real magic comes from what you do next. I don’t bother with ice—because that’s just numbing the problem, not healing it. Instead, I go full nerd with my red and infrared lights. They’re game-changers for bone healing, ligament repair, and swelling.

And if you want to get extra crunchy with it? Try a raw potato poultice. (Yes, really.) My grandma swore by it, and now so do I. Just shred a raw potato, wrap it around your untaped toe like a bedtime burrito, cover it with a cloth and a sock, and sleep on it. It pulls inflammation like nobody’s business and is amazing for pain. But for the love of starch, don’t fry it up in the morning. That potato has... done things.

Lastly, footwear matters. A shoe with a cement-like sole—like a Dansko clog—is crucial so your toes don’t articulate too much and undo all your mummy-wrap magic. And if you're hunting for a chiropractor sebastopol legend, look no further than Curtis Turchin. The man has been taping fingers and toes since cassette tapes were still a thing. Check out the video below for his signature taping technique—it’s clinical wizardry meets old-school know-how.

So, there I was, driving home, minding my own damn business… when a drunk driver came at me head-on. True story. I had one of those movie-moment flashes—a little voice said, turn the wheel to the right. That move saved my life, but I still got side-swiped hard. Broken ribs, fractured ego, and a lovely little souvenir: an intercostal muscle tear.

Taping rib fracture became my post-accident lifeline. When your ribs are cracked or your muscles torn, every breath feels like betrayal. But rib fracture taping helps lock things down so you can move, breathe, and sleep without wanting to scream.

Here’s how I do it: take two strips of tape and run them along the injured ribs—follow the rib line like you’re tracing your own anatomy book. Then crisscross another two strips over that pain zone to create a solid X. This combo? Game-changer. It’s how I kept functioning without a morphine drip.

Whether you're using tape for pain relief or tape for muscle strains, rib taping can hold you together when your body feels like it’s falling apart.

And of course, legend Curtis Turchin drops more wisdom in the video below. His back taping for pain technique is one more tool for your healing arsenal—because taping isn’t just for athletes, it’s for survivors.

Taping Rib Fracture

You'd think something designed to help your body heal wouldn’t also feel like you're being slow-roasted in a lobster pot—but welcome to the world of kinesiology tape rash.

I’ve used tape for pain relief like it was the only flotation device left after my healing ship sank. And let me tell you, when you’re taping sensitive areas—elbows, ribs, inner thighs, bottoms of your feet—you learn real quick what your skin will and won’t tolerate. Ever tried pulling off tape from the arch of your foot after 24/7 wear? It's like tearing sunburnt parchment off an already-cranky lizard.

Now, if you're using beast-mode adhesive like Leukotape-P without layering Cover-Roll stretch tape underneath it, congrats—you’re on the fast track to a flaming case of tape rash. I’ve seen this firsthand in my practice. One little girl came in with nursing elbow, taped up with nothing but raw Leukotape around her skin—no base layer, no mercy. She cried when we peeled it off, and honestly? So did I.

Here’s what you need to know: a tape rash is usually caused by either prolonged wear, taping on sensitive skin, or not prepping the skin properly. To avoid this itchy nightmare, use a barrier like Smith & Nephew’s Skin-Prep® Wipes, aloe vera gel, or even old-school milk of magnesia. The trick? Let it fully dry before you slap on the tape.

If the damage is already done, take a break. Let the skin chill for a few days. Sensitive zones like the elbows, soles of the feet, knees, groin, glutes, ribs, belly, and neck need extra prep or more breathable tape. Don’t try to tough it out—this isn’t a rodeo, it’s your skin barrier we’re talking about.

Healing shouldn’t make you feel like you’ve been attacked by a jellyfish. So, prep like a pro, tape smart, and your skin will thank you instead of scream at you.

How long do you leave kinesiology tape on? Long enough to do its job—but not so long that you start fusing with it. Most tape lasts 3–7 days, especially on low-friction spots like your feet, SI joints, or upper back. High-use zones like wrists, hands, and knees? Expect to retape more often—especially if you’re gardening, sweating, or washing like a raccoon.

How long can I wear kinesiology tape? When it starts peeling, itching, or feeling useless, it’s time to peel it off and retape. And if it turns into a gooey mess on your skin? Yeah, that’s your sign it overstayed its welcome.

And the question everyone asks is how long do I need to do this? Well depends how bad it is? Some folks only need to tape a short while a few weeks. Really bad injuries can be 3 months to 3 years – like my shredded feet and ankles. But the good news is that ligaments and muscle tears can heal if they are microtears that don’t need surgery. And that my friend is good news.

Still wondering what is kinesiology tape good for? You're not alone. Most folks think of it as flashy tape for athletic injuries worn by Olympic sprinters or CrossFit warriors. But here’s the truth: time doesn't heal all wounds. Especially not muscle tears and unstable joints that keep flaring up year after year.

Clients come into my office saying things like, “Oh, my shoulder’s been acting up again,” as if it's a new thing. And I’ll say, “You mean the same shoulder I told you to tape two years ago?” Because here’s the reality: muscle tear recovery takes time—and if you keep re-injuring it, muscle tear recovery time can stretch from two weeks to three years.

The good news? You’re not helpless. Taping gives mechanical support while your body does the deeper healing. I’ve seen people in full-blown screaming pain from a fresh muscle tear calm down dramatically in just two weeks with Red and Infrared lights, strategic taping, and proper rehab. That doesn’t mean the tissues fully rebuilt yet—but getting out of acute pain? That’s a hell of a start.

It depends — but here’s the real talk.

• What are you treating?

• And how consistently are you using it?

If you’ve got something like a partial ligament or muscle tear, it’s not one-size-fits-all. I’ve had acute pain vanish in a few days — and I’ve also had gnarly ligament tears that took months (yes, plural) to unwind. It all comes down to severity, discipline, and support.

Are you combining red light with kinesiology taping? Are you doing targeted rehab or strength work? Or are you just shining the light and hoping for magic?

Truth bomb: the best results come when you do all three. That’s why I rent out my red & infrared LED units for a two-week minimum — because in that window, most clients notice a real shift in pain, inflammation, or function. For deeper injuries, you’re looking at a longer timeline: weeks to months. Ligament and tendon injuries especially can take 6 months to 3 years to fully heal (yep, even with light therapy — especially if you re-injure it along the way).

But here’s the good news: things can heal. Red and infrared LED therapy is one of the few non-invasive tools that actually helps the body regenerate instead of just suppressing symptoms.

And when it starts working? You’ll know — because you’ll forget to use it as often. That’s always the best sign.