Kinesiology Taping for Horses to Treat Pain
Kinesiology taping is very effective for decreasing pain in horses. When we can decrease a horse’s pain, we’re able to allow them to access more range of motion, move without compensation, and ensure that the horse doesn’t develop secondary compensations due to the pain.
Research on taping for horses to treat pain
New research on taping horses for pain relief shows that:
less is more
This study revealed that KT tape applied at 25% of tension significantly reduced pain ratings in muscles while tape applied at 75% tension had no change on pain levels.
Tape at any level of tension (0%, 25% and 75%) is effective is prevention of muscle sensitivity.
We know the effectiveness of kinesiology tape is because of its communication with the horse’s nervous system (learn more about how tape works here), not because of its mechanical force or power over the tissue.
We want our taping applications to communicate a specific message to the receptors in the horse’s nervous system.
Keys to using kinesiology tape for pain relief
Here’s a few tips for the application of kinesiology tape to relieve pain in horses.
If you are doing a taping application for pain, be sure not to over-stretch.
Overstretching is very common for new tapers. If you’re questioning if you’re adding too much stretch, it’s likely you are.
Remind yourself regularly to back off of the tension for pain relief and voila - you can minimize your horse’s muscle pain.
The tape applied at back-off stretch already has 10-15% stretch. You only need to add a bit more to meet 25%.
What you do not want to see after you apply the tape:
logos puckering on the surface
light coming through the tape
ends popping up and off immediately
The effectiveness of kinesiology taping for pain relief in horses
“In conclusion, the current study revealed that KT applied at low tension is the optimal tension to reduce muscle pain. Additionally, the results suggested that KT applied at low, high, or no tension may acutely prevent increased muscle sensitivity with repeated pressure stimulation.”
Resources
Research article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34739522/
Learn how to tape your horse — Courses through Sozo Equine®
If you’re interested in learning how to tape your horse, you can join my foundational kinesiology taping course and if you’ve already taken my foundational course, check out my advanced kinesiology taping course. You can also bundle these courses and invest in a payment plan here.
About the Author — Ciara Crawford
Hi! My name is Cara Crawford and I am the Owner and Founder of Sozo Equine, LLC. I am a registered and licensed Occupational Therapist where I practice in outpatient orthopedics and specialize in the upper extremities.
Additional certifications include:
Certified Equine Massage Therapist
Certified Myofascial Release Practitioner
Certified Craniosacral Therapist Certified Equine Kinesiology
Certified Taping Practitioner
Certified Equine Taping Instructor
I have a passion for educating and empowering people of all backgrounds to join my pursuit of a world where horses can move without pain.
