Elbow Taping for Epicondylitis: Rigid Diamond or Kinesiology Tape

Tennis elbow (pain on the outside) and golfer’s elbow (pain on the inside) are classic overuse injuries, and not only in athletes. Taping here has official recommendations, and they favor a different kind of tape than most people assume.

What the research shows

The clinical practice guideline by Lucado A.M. et al. (JOSPT, 2022) is the most authoritative document on lateral epicondylitis. Its conclusions:

• rigid tape — recommendation level B (moderate evidence): clinicians should use rigid taping techniques for immediate and short-term pain reduction;
• kinesiology tape — only level C (weak evidence), and only as part of a comprehensive program.

The guideline states directly: the kinesiology technique was no better than placebo tape on its own.

A classic study by Vicenzino B. et al. (JOSPT, 2003) found that the rigid diamond technique gives +24% pain-free grip strength immediately after application. A meta-analysis of kinesiology tape (Zhong Y. et al., Int J Surg, 2020) found a pain reduction of less than half a point out of ten.

Being honest about golfer’s elbow: adequately sized studies of taping for medial epicondylitis simply don’t exist.

What you’ll need

• For the diamond technique — rigid, non-elastic tape and hypoallergenic underwrap.
• For the kinesiology version — tape 2.5 cm: one ~30 cm Y-strip and two short straight strips.
• Scissors.

Step-by-step scheme

1. Sit down with your elbow supported at roughly 90°, forearm relaxed.
2. Bend the wrist downward — the forearm extensor should be under stretch.
3. Y-strip: anchor on the back of the hand at 0%, tails run up the forearm with 15–25% stretch, ending 4–5 cm above the epicondyle.
4. Two short I-strips fanned out over the most painful point, with less than 10% stretch.
5. Check right away: if grip strength hasn’t improved, this technique isn’t for you — try the rigid diamond instead.

How long to wear it

In studies, kinesiology tape followed a 3-days-on, 1-day-off schedule, for a course of 6 applications over 3 weeks. The rigid diamond is applied for the duration of the activity that loads the elbow.

A simple on-the-spot test: right after applying the tape, check your grip strength — squeeze something in your hand. If pain-free strength hasn’t increased, this technique isn’t for you, and there’s no point wearing the tape any longer.

How to remove tape without pain

The most common tape-related injury doesn’t come from applying it, but from tearing it off. There’s one rule: peel the skin off the tape, not the tape off the skin.

1. Wet the tape in the shower or soak it with oil (baby oil, olive oil, any food-grade oil) and wait 5–20 minutes.
2. Fold the edge of the strip back onto itself, almost parallel to the skin — about 180° — rather than pulling it straight up.
3. With your other hand, press down on the skin and pull it away from the tape as you peel.
4. Move in the direction of hair growth and slowly. The faster you pull, the more force is involved and the higher the chance of tearing the top layer of skin.
5. Edges that have already lifted and are sticking out are better trimmed with scissors than tugged on.

After removal, inspect the skin. Redness that lasts longer than 30 minutes means you should use less stretch or a different spot next time. Do not reapply tape to damaged or irritated skin.

Who shouldn’t use it

The general contraindications are the same for every zone: open wounds and damaged skin, active deep vein thrombosis, skin inflammation or infection at the application site, a tumor in the area, an allergy to acrylic adhesive, or very thin or fragile skin.

Specific to this zone:

• Don’t wrap the forearm circumferentially — this risks impaired circulation and nerve compression. Loosen it immediately if the hand turns pale, tingles, or goes numb.
• A recent corticosteroid injection into the epicondyle — don’t tape over the injection site.

When you need a doctor, not tape

A number of conditions masquerade as epicondylitis, and tape won’t fix any of them:

• cervical nerve entrapment — pain with numbness in the fingers;
• radial tunnel syndrome and posterior interosseous nerve syndrome;
• elbow instability, clicking, or joint locking;
• genuine hand weakness rather than pain with effort;
• night pain;
• suspected radial head fracture after a fall.

Sources