VARIATION IN LOW POWER LASER EMISSIONS PASSING THROUGH KINESIO TAPING

Abstract

The Kinesio taping is a technique used in physical therapy, where therapy objectives are achieved by means of applying elastic tapes with special features that adhere to the skin and are not removed for five days. These applications may coexist with other treatments, like physical agents and manual therapies. Low power laser therapy is a treatment that provides great benefits in tissue regeneration as well as in alleviating painful processes. It consists of the application on the skin of a light beam with special wavelength characteristics, right on the injured area. Laser effects could be added to those obtained by the Kinesio taping, but there is no information about the interaction of these two treatments, and whether or not there is an effective passage of the laser emission to the patient through the taping. This is the starting point for performing the following work, where the amount of laser light passing through the dressing is measured in mill watts. The results show a large drop in the energy that passes through the bandage, which depends on the color and the tension at which the tape is applied. The application of laser on Kinesio taping has no risk, but the power reduction shown in this work is significant. The conclusion is that insufficient doses are being applied, wearing out the equipment with few real effects on the patient. There are no studies on results when using these two therapeutic agents combined; therefore it is recommended to do further research on the interactions between these techniques to justify their use and their therapeutic effectiveness.