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Athletes Turn To 'KT Tape' For Pain Relief

BOSTON (CBS) -- Relieving the aches and pains of working out is a challenge for anyone who exercises. This applies to not only to weekend warriors, but professional athletes as well.

More athletes are turning to so called Kinesio Tape, or KT tape, for relief. This brightly colored elastic tape is applied to muscles and tendons to relieve pain and reduce swelling when other temporary fixes, such as ice and anti-inflammatories, fail.

Right now, it can often be spotted on World Cup Soccer players.

Craig Elliot is a graduate physical therapy student who is trying this tape for the first time to relieve shoulder pain. His initial review is very positive.

Laura Hurley, a physical therapist at Catz Physical Therapy Institute in Needham, says she has seen many patients benefit from this type of tape. She has taken special courses to learn the artistry of applying the tape for maximum benefit.

"It is mostly used for people who need to get right back to sport, so it is very common in tendonitis, overuse injuries, a lot of tennis elbow, Achilles tendonitis," explained Hurley.

Hurley says the theory behind the tape is that it lifts the skin away from the fascia underneath the muscle which allows for a great circulatory response in the traumatized area. That can accelerate the healing process.

The tape is applied in a very methodical fashion, using varying degrees of elasticity to respond to the patient's particular needs. "If it feels good to you, and makes you more aware of a body part that is not in the right position, that is thumbs up for me," said Hurley.

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Colorful KT tape on an athlete's arm. (WBZ-TV)

Kinesio tape is also available in retail locations such as Citi Sports. It runs about $15 a roll. There are books and online tutorials that show how it can be applied properly.

Hurley doesn't endorse using the tape without first getting a professional consultation. "The problem I see is that if you don't ever get to the source of dysfunction, you are just going to keep buying this tape. You need to get to the source of the problem, and fix that."

Another concern is the lack of scientific data supporting the benefits of the tape.

Anecdotally, athletes say it works. Elliot told us his shoulder felt more supported and he can now continue with his training program.

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