Kinesio taping has been around for a long time and made popular by a number of high profile athletes. However, the benefits and certainly, evidence for it has been mixed. Two publications you could look at are

The Clinical Efficacy of Kinesio Tape for Shoulder Pain: A Randomised, Double-blinded Clinical Trial. Mark D. Thelen Journal of Orthopaedics & Sports Physical Therapy Vol 38: Issue 7: Pages 389-395

Short-term effects of cervical Kinesio taping on pain and cervical range of motion in patients with acute whiplash injury: A Randomised Clinical Trial. Javier Gonzalez-Iglesias. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. Vol 39:Issue 7: Pages 515-521

Yes I do... we have discussed Kinesio taping before on this forum. De

In December 2013  https://www.researchgate.net/post/When_does_a_new_method_technique_tool_eg_kinesiology_taping_KT_case_becomes_part_of_normal_clinical_practice_as_its_basic_supplementary_part

April 2014.       https://www.researchgate.net/post/Can_anyone_share_their_experience_with_Kinesio-Taping    and there are more.

September 2014

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Do_you_know_any_research_which_tests_the_effect_of_kinesiotape_on_balance_in_people_with_hallux_valgus

.. maybe your question has already been answered....

Dear Dr Prasad, Thank You for Your answer.

Dear Dr De Ru, Thank You for Your answer. 

Yes, sure I"ll find some intersting answer in historical forum. 

dear krzysztof, i you have any questions after reading the other mail, feel free to ask :)

kind regards Esther

yellow, red or blue kinesiotapes?

It is all in our minds and nowhere else.

Care to elaborate?

I hope you do not  mean that it is nonsense.... as so many people do.

You are from Germany, the country where Christel Heidemann lived, so very near Heidelberg......I met her and have seen the what colour can do....

It is in the head I agree, but the skin is enormous source of information for the brain... Question is can the skin perceive colour? What do you think?

How we can differ?

We should perform some studies in blind people. I did not learn about those experiments.

In my opinion most effects we perceive are unspecific. Nevertheless there is no matter about it as long as we do not become dependent. 

dear Marcus, it would be wonderful if someone could conduct studies into the effects of colour on people that are blind. I would seriously like to help. We need the research... I have seen the effect (good and bad) of various colours so often in the clinic, I do not need any research. I KNOW that colours can make a big difference.

There are many countrymen out there that already 'know' the effects of colour :)

Have you read Christel Heidemanns books? You can get more information about her ideas here  http://www.farbmeridiantherapie.de/

The only one I know of on taping and colour is: Icha Ulriche Medi-taping oder Kinesio taping, eine revolutionare hilfsstellung bei schmerzen…. Impuls nr 23.2010

Dear Canpolat, of course your tast for colour effects your decisions, there are many ways the placebo effect works...

But 2 studies have also shown that even mechanical properties of the same tape brand will differ with their colour.

Fernandeze Rodriguez J,M, et al (2010) Vendaje neuromuscular: tienen todas las ventas las mismas propriedades mecanicas? Apunts med Esport 2010 doi :10.1016/j.apunts.2009.11.001F1.

Aguado Jodar X et al (2008) Mechanical behaviour of functional tape: implications for functional taping preparation. 13th Ann congress ECSS Portugal 9-12July2008

dear Esther,

I like your enthusiasm. 

However I am not convinced. It is in our mind and not colour bound.

And: I support patients to get rid from the therapists recipes. Patients in pain should learn to treat themselves.

I have seen many healthy adults /colleagues (nearly) faint mostly with black, pink and orange (participants in classes I give). I think it is fair to say I have seen this in nearly every course  I have given about 70 courses now.

I have had many patients react badly (young children will start crying and adolescents become more 'adolescent)' with pink especially. Vasovagal reactions of all sorts (goosebumps, rolling eyes, fainting, profuse sweating etc) will appear  after applying. It is very much like the fehl reaktionen we could get after bindegewebsnmassage, All these symptoms will disappear as soon as the 'wrong colour'  has been removed.

I used to give patients a colour choice, I do not anymore. I use a test patch (gold standard with 3 brands) and will always start with beige. Beige and blue are the best (in the brands I use) and hardly ever give this reaction.

So you see, I am not passionate about this without reason.

I agree that we can learn patients to apply tape to themselves. Am very much an advocate of finding out which tape is best for this patient at this time, then teaching them to apply the tape on themselves (parents on children) But I keep monitoring because I want to be able to change or stop. For me, taping is a therapeutic stimulus that the patient takes home and not to be thought of too lightly.

Yes you can teach anyone how to tape. For me using as little as possible on the best spot only is a sport. I like using as less as possible. To give you an idea of how little I use, see the poster for the SOSORT on taping scoliosis I presented last year.

I use daily in my practice. My patient ask me about tape color (what is the difference in colors on my health?), I have no experience with somatic sensations. I see, elderly patients prefer beige color, fear of questions about their health problem. Young patients prefer every colors, least black.