In this article I’ll walk you through the two most commonly used taping techniques for tennis elbow – using Kinesio tape and zinc oxide tape – and how you can tell whether they’re useful for your specific case. Remember, if you need more help with an injury, you're welcome to consult one of our physios online via video call.
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In this article:
Testing for tape allergy
Why bother testing? If you’re allergic to the tape, this test will cause a reaction in a small area only, which is better than having your whole arm red and itchy!
If you know you’re allergic to tape, don’t use it. Rather check out our article about braces and splints for tennis elbow.
The test:
Decide whether you’re going to use Kinesio tape or zinc oxide tape (see below).
Clean the skin of your inner forearm with soap and water – the tape won’t stick if there’s oil or cream on your skin.
Cut a small piece of tape (1 cm by 1cm) and stick it to your inner forearm.
Leave it on for up to 24 hours to see whether it causes redness, itchiness, or blistering.
But remove it immediately if you experience any of those symptoms.
If your skin showed no reaction, you’re likely not allergic to the tape. If it did show a reaction, go for a brace or tennis elbow strap instead.
Applying Kinesio tape with too much stretch on it can cause blisters at the edges, and then people might mistakenly think they are allergic to the tape.
Other taping precautions
Never apply tape over skin that is already irritated, nor over wounds or blisters.
Remove the tape immediately if you develop any itchiness, redness, burning, or blisters.
Leave at least 24 hours between tape applications to allow your skin to breathe – this reduces your chances of skin irritation.
1. Kinesio tape for tennis elbow
How it is thought to work
The ways in which this Kinesio taping technique is thought to work include:
Inhibiting the wrist extensor muscles (reducing how much they work).
Improving circulation by lifting the skin micro-millimetres.
Through the “pain gate” mechanism – the sensation of the tape on the skin reduces the brain’s focus on the pain. It’s similar to when you rub a body part that you’ve just knocked against something – by rubbing it, you distract the brain or reduce the signals being sent about the painful area.
Is there evidence to support any of these claims? Not at the moment. The research shows that this taping technique can reduce tennis elbow pain compared to “fake” or placebo taping, but there isn’t any evidence for how it actually achieves this. So, we don’t know whether it is working in the way that the people in the white lab coats believe it works.
What you’ll need
Scissors
Kinesio tape – 5 cm (about 2 inches) wide
An assistant – it’s difficult to perform this taping technique on your own.
💡 There are many cheap brands of Kinesio tape on Amazon, but I’ve found them to be a waste of money – they simply don’t stick well enough. It is worth buying a slightly more expensive brand, e.g. Rock Tape.
Prepping the tape and your arm
Clean your skin using water and soap. If there is cream or oil on it, the tape will not stick and pop off almost immediately.
If you’re very hairy, you will likely have to shave the area for the tape to stick.
Cut a piece of tape, measuring from the middle of the back of your hand to about 1 cm (just under half an inch) above the crease of your elbow. Then, cut this piece lengthwise down the middle so you have two long “tails”, leaving the last 3 cm (about 1 inch) intact (this is your anchor).
Cut a second piece of tape, long enough to wrap halfway around the thickest part of your forearm. Again, cut this piece lengthwise down the middle, leaving about 3 cm intact (this is your anchor).
Trim the corners of the tape so that they’re round – this prevents them catching on clothes and coming off prematurely.
Applying the Kinesio tape
Long strip
Tear the paper that covers the sticky side crosswise where the tails meet the 3 cm anchor but don’t remove it.
Straighten your arm and make a loose fist. Turn your fist so the back of your hand faces upwards and is in line with your forearm.
Remove the paper from the 3 cm anchor and stick the anchor to the back of your hand, with the end angled slightly towards your thumb. Rub the tape to make sure it sticks.
Now, maintaining the fist, bend it down and to the outside (little finger side). Your hand must remain in this position while applying the rest of the tape.
Apply the two thin tails so that they run along the outer edges of the wrist extensor muscle group with very light stretch. It’s best to remove the paper backing from one tail at a time.
Don’t touch the glue side or it won’t stick.
Stick the last 2 cm of each tail down without any stretch on it. If you apply stretch to that part, it will either cause your skin to blister, or the tape will pull off when you start moving.
Short strip
Again, tear the paper that covers the sticky side crosswise where the tails meet the 3 cm anchor but don’t remove it.
Keeping your elbow straight and palm facing down, stick the anchor part about 2 cm below the elbow and just outside of the outer piece of tape you’ve applied previously. The two tails should face inwards, towards you.
Leaving at least 2 cm for the final anchor, stretch the upper tail by about 50% and stick it to the skin at a slight upward angle (towards the shoulder).
Apply the final 2 cm bit without any stretch.
Do the same with the second tail, this time at a slight downward angle (towards your wrist).
These two tails, together with the inner tail of the first piece of tape should now have a triangular gap between them.
👉 Both types of tape are meant to be water resistant, so you should be able to shower with it on. In my experience, Kinesio tape stays on better in wet conditions than zinc oxide tape.
2. Diamond taping technique with zinc oxide tape for tennis elbow
How it is thought to work
Some clinicians think the diamond taping technique reduces the strain on the injured area, while others reckon it simply reduces the perception of pain (the “pain gate” mechanism again).
Similar to the Kinesio tape situation, there is evidence that the diamond taping technique can reduce tennis elbow pain. But the mechanism by which it works has not yet been investigated.
What you’ll need
Scissors
Zinc oxide tape – 3.8 cm (about 1.5 inches) wide
An assistant – this is definitely not a one-person job.
Prepping the tape and your arm
Clean your skin using water and soap. If there is cream or oil on it, the tape will not stick and pop off almost immediately.
If you’re very hairy, you will likely have to shave the area for the tape to stick.
Cut eight pieces of tape, each about 8 cm to 10 cm long. Try not to touch the glue side too much.
Applying the tape
The aim is to create a “puffy diamond” over the painful area where the tendons attach.
Locate the painful area so you can picture the diamond you want to create around it – this is usually near the outer elbow.
Your elbow should be resting comfortably, bent slightly (to about 20 degrees).
The person applying the tape should first stick one end of the tape down, then pull the skin gently (not as hard as they can!) to where the centre of the diamond will be and apply the rest of the tape while maintaining the skin stretch.
Do this with four pieces of tape, sticking them down in a diamond formation with overlapping ends.
Then apply one more strip of tape in each direction and a bit further away from the diamond – overlapping the first strips by about two thirds.
How to know whether your taping is working
First observe what your pain normally feels like when you’re not taped up – it will likely fluctuate during the day. Make a note of what activities are most uncomfortable and rate your pain during these.
Then apply the tape and observe how you feel afterwards. Do those activities that previously caused pain now feel more comfortable?
👉In my opinion, tape is only worth using if it reduces your pain enough to notice a significant improvement. If you’re not sure whether it is helping, then it’s likely not helping and I would discard it.
How we can help
Need more help with your injury? You’re welcome to consult one of the team at SIP online via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.
We're all UK Chartered Physiotherapists with Master’s Degrees related to Sports & Exercise Medicine or at least 10 years' experience in the field. But at Sports Injury Physio we don't just value qualifications; all of us also have a wealth of experience working with athletes across a broad variety of sports, ranging from recreationally active people to professional athletes. You can meet the team here.
About the Author
Maryke Louw is a chartered physiotherapist with more than 20 years' experience and a Master’s Degree in Sports Injury Management. Follow her on LinkedIn and ResearchGate.
