In the mid-1970s, Dr. Kenzo Kase was already a well-known practitioner licensed in chiropractic and acupuncture in the US and Japan. While treating elderly osteoarthritis patients, Dr. Kase became frustrated with the limited treatment methods available. He found he could get the patient’s joint into a position that was less painful and resembled normal use but, once they went home, they would return to old habits and painful positioning. He wanted treatment to extend beyond clinical visits - a way to send his hands home with them.
 

Dr. Kase tried to tape the joint into position. However, the tape available for medical use was stiff and rigid. Patients received some benefit, but it caused skin problems, rashes and other issues. He realised that the tapes available didn’t work well with his Kinesio Taping® Method. So he invented his own. He worked with product engineers through a long process of testing different tape qualities. Eventually, they created a tape that was flexible enough to preserve range of motion but also lightweight and hypoallergenic to stay on the skin without causing a rash. The new tape imitated the thickness and resilience of human skin.
 

The new tape had the proper degree of elasticity and could lift the skin microscopically. Kinesio® Tex Tape was invented. Dr. Kase coined the unique name “Kinesio” in reference to the body movement of kinesiology and kinesthesis.

Dr. Kase continues to work closely with Kinesio distributors throughout the world as well as with Kinesio Taping Association International (KTAI) and its members. Kinesio and KTAI continue to maintain Dr. Kase’s high standards of care and to track new and increasingly effective uses for the taping method.