NESN

Kinesio Tape Working Wonders for Celtics

If Kevin Garnett‘s right knee remains healthy this season, he can thank the unusual black tape wrapped around his leg for relieving all the pain,even if he doesn’t know what the tape is or how it works. But then again, no one really knows how it works.

The tape is called Kinesio tape, and it has become a frequently-used pain reliever on the Celtics for both players and coaches.

“It just kind of relieves whatever is hurting,” J.R. Giddens, who wears the tape on his right knee and back, told the Boston Herald. “It makes it feel better. I guess it’s the way it lays on the muscles, some pressure release or something.”

“I don’t know what the hell it does, but it makes me feel better,” Doc Rivers told the Herald. “It’s not just a tape, they put it on certain muscles .. I don’t know what the hell it does. Maybe it’s mental. I think a lot of teams are doing it and it’s been good. I know Kevin loves it.”

How the tape works is still a mystery, but the wrapping technique became a hit during the 2008 Summer Olympics when Kinesio USA donated 50,000 rolls to the Games and athletes began wearing it.

Hasheem Thabeet, former UConn star and now member of the Memphis Grizzlies, used the tape on his shoulder throughout the season for the Huskies last year.

“There’s just not a ton of research on it,” UConn basketball trainer James Doran told the Herald. “It’s not because when they do research it gets blown up, it’s just the research hasn’t been done. Kinesio tape originally started in Asia and it used to be like this secret taping that they used. It made its way to the New World and America and Europe have jumped on it. Again, when you try to find research on it, it’s just not there.”