One of the most essential stages of preparation is to ensure you cut and prepare the tape in the correct manner, so you can apply it to specific parts of the body and treat the various conditions effectively.

No matter how long a strip you need to use, first make sure you take a pair of scissors and smoothly round off the corners of the tape. This is done to prevent it coming away from the skin, or creating uncomfortable chafing or friction under your clothing.

Hands cutting a strip of blue kinesiology tape with scissors, beside pink and blue rolls on a yellow background

How to prepare the different styles of cut:

3 rolls for £14.97, delivered free Pre-cut 20 strips with a dispenser box. Beige shown — see all colours & designs. £4.95 delivery on 1 or 2 rolls.

I-STRIP

This is the most commonly used type of strip and is applied to many parts of the body to treat a number of different ailments.

The I-Strip is one long, continuous piece of tape that has no cuts dividing it into parts. Although this tape is not dissected, you still need to ensure the corners are nicely rounded and must remember to anchor with no stretch.

A single strip of blue kinesiology tape running along the inside of the forearm from the elbow into the palm

FAN SHAPE

The Fan Strip is normally applied in order to decrease swelling or decompress a contusion that has formed and can be used on both small, and larger areas of the body.

This style of taping is achieved by crisscrossing I-Strips, and a more potent effect can be gained when repeating this multiple times.

You should always aim to treat the entire affected area with fan strips to get the maximum benefit out of this taping method, and should never apply fan strips with any stretch.

Corners should always be rounded off with scissors, and anchors applied, also with a 0% stretch.

Blue and pink kinesiology tape applied across the upper back and shoulder, seen from behind, with a pink fan laid over diagonal blue strips

Y SHAPE

The Y Shaped strip is a piece of tape that has one long vertical cut dissecting it, that runs up to the middle section of the strip.This type of taping style is mostly used to support weakened, torn, or damaged muscles, to reset joints and tendons, and to strengthen tissues and ligaments. Y shaped strips can also be applied to areas of scarring, as they can have a circulation boosting and decompressing effect on the toughened tissue, which will aid in the dissolution of raised keloid scars.When using the Y Shape method, a variety of different degrees of stretch will be required, depending on the condition you are treating. Tape anchors should never be applied with any stretch and corners must always be rounded off. Red kinesiology tape applied as a Y along the inside of the forearm and into the palm, splitting either side of the wrist

X SHAPE

The X Shape method is formed by taking two strips and making a long vertical cut in both ends of each strip. The strips are then placed in a criss cross fashion over each other, with the anchors securely applied to the skin.

This application method is frequently used to treat wounded muscles, as it can provide the essential support they need in order to recover swiftly.

X Shape taping is also applied to reset and correct displaced joints and twisted muscles, as it can supply a firm yet flexible structure that helps the body to heal.

As with all the other taping styles, the corners of your X strips should always be neatly rounded off with a pair of scissors.

Blue kinesiology tape applied down the side of the torso and around the shoulder and upper arm

Tape used in this guide

Pre-cut 20 strips with a dispenser box. 3 rolls for £14.97, delivered free — 6 for £22.99 delivered. Free UK delivery on 3 rolls or more, £4.95 on 1 or 2.