A comparison study of athletic kinesio tapes and structural cloth tapes applied to address biomechanical injuries and muscle stabilization. (March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shannon, Declan; Love, Brian J
• Other Names: Senner Veit guest-editor.; Caine Michael guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Volume 237:Number 1(2023)
• Page Start: 47
• Page End: 51
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Subjects: Viscoelasticity -- kinesio tape -- stress relaxation; Sports sciences -- Periodicals; Sporting goods -- Design and construction -- Periodicals; Sports -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Biomechanics -- Periodicals; 613.71
• DOI: 10.1177/1754337120930117
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1754-3371

Abstract

Quasi-static tensile and stress relaxation experiments were performed on several cloth-based and segmented elastomeric tapes, and the results were analyzed using viscoelastic models. The cloth tape modulus of elasticity was ∼340 MPa, while those of the kinesio tapes ranged from ∼15 to 20 MPa. The cloth tapes was also stronger and more brittle. Viscoelastic modeling of the stress relaxation behavior was done using a Zener model for the cloth tapes and a 5-element model for the kinesio tapes. The cloth tape relaxed by ∼20%, while the kinesio tapes relaxed by ∼40% of the applied maximum stress in approximately 300-s as demonstrated by viscoelastic modeling and constant strain experiments. The overall amount of long-term compressive force delivered by kinesio tapes might be inadequate for some applications, but they are more forgiving in how they are deployed.