To tape golfer’s elbow, you’ll use two strips of kinesiology tape: a longer I-strip that runs along the inner forearm muscles and a shorter Y-strip applied directly over the point of pain on the inner elbow. The goal is to lift the skin slightly over the inflamed tendons on the inside of your elbow, reducing pressure and improving blood flow to the area. Here’s how to do it properly.
What the Tape Is Actually Doing
Golfer’s elbow is a repetitive strain injury affecting the tendons that attach to the bony bump on the inside of your elbow (the medial epicondyle). These tendons connect to the muscles you use to flex your wrist, grip objects, and rotate your forearm. Over time, repeated stress causes tiny tears and degeneration in the tendon tissue rather than true inflammation, which is why it can linger for months.
Kinesiology tape works by gently lifting the skin away from the underlying muscle. This creates a small amount of extra space that reduces pressure on pain receptors and encourages better blood and lymph flow through the area. In clinical testing, kinesiology tape reduced pain during resisted wrist movements by about 2 points on a 10-point scale and improved pain-free grip strength by roughly 3 kg, outperforming sham tape for pain control. It won’t fix the underlying tendon damage on its own, but it can make daily activities more comfortable while the tissue heals.
What You Need Before You Start
You’ll need a roll of kinesiology tape and scissors. Cut two strips: one longer strip (roughly 8 to 10 inches) and one shorter strip (about 4 to 5 inches). The shorter strip will be cut into a Y-shape by slicing it lengthwise down the middle, leaving about an inch uncut at one end to form the base.
Skin prep matters more than most people realize. Your forearm needs to be clean, dry, and free of lotions or oils. If you have noticeable arm hair in the area, shave it first. Hair prevents the tape from adhering properly to the skin, and poor adhesion means the tape won’t create the lift it needs to work.
Step-by-Step Application
Positioning Your Arm
Start by positioning your arm to pre-stretch the muscles on the inside of your forearm. Straighten your elbow, then turn your palm so it faces the ceiling (rotating your forearm outward). You can add a gentle backward bend at the wrist if comfortable. This elongates the forearm flexor muscles and ensures the tape applies the right amount of tension once your arm returns to a neutral position.
Applying the I-Strip
Tear the backing paper about an inch from one end of your longer strip to create an anchor. Place this anchor directly on the medial epicondyle, the bony bump on the inside of your elbow. Lay it down with zero stretch. Now peel the remaining backing and lay the tape along the inner forearm, following the line of muscle running from your inner elbow toward your wrist. Apply light tension, around 25% of the tape’s available stretch. To gauge 25%, pull the tape to its maximum stretch, then let it relax to about a quarter of that length. Lay the last inch or so down with no stretch at all. This strip supports the pronator teres and forearm flexor muscles, which are the primary structures involved in golfer’s elbow.
Applying the Y-Strip
Take your shorter Y-strip. Peel the backing from the uncut base and place it just below the point of maximum tenderness on the inner elbow, with no stretch. Now peel the two tails and apply them around the painful area so they form a Y or V shape that frames the medial epicondyle. These tails get significantly more tension: 75% to full stretch. This is the therapeutic zone, where the tape creates the most skin lift directly over the inflamed tendon. Lay the very ends of each tail down with no tension so they don’t peel up.
Finishing Up
Once both strips are in place, rub the entire taped area briskly with your palm for 10 to 15 seconds. The friction activates the heat-sensitive adhesive and helps the tape bond to your skin. Let your arm relax back to a natural position. You should feel a gentle pulling sensation on the skin but no pinching or restriction of movement.
Tension Levels Matter
Getting the tension right is the single most important part of the application. Research on different kinesiology tape tensions found that 25% of available stretch is the sweet spot for reducing muscle pain. Higher tensions (75%) didn’t perform better for general pain relief along the muscle belly, though they are appropriate for the small Y-strip applied directly over the point of pain, where concentrated lift is the goal.
A common mistake is stretching the tape too aggressively along the entire forearm. This can irritate the skin and doesn’t improve results. The anchors and ends of every strip should always be laid down with zero stretch. Anchors under tension peel off within hours.
How Long to Wear It
Keep the tape on for up to 24 hours. Wearing it longer than a day increases the risk of skin irritation, even if the tape still feels secure. If you shower with the tape on, remove it immediately afterward. Wet adhesive trapped against skin can cause itching and redness. If you notice itching, redness, or any skin irritation at any point, peel the tape off right away. Some people have sensitivity to the acrylic adhesive used in kinesiology tape, and continuing to wear it will only make the reaction worse.
To remove the tape without irritating your skin, peel it slowly in the direction of hair growth. Pressing down on the skin just ahead of where you’re peeling helps reduce pulling. You can reapply a fresh set of strips daily as needed.
Getting the Most Out of Taping
KT tape works best as one piece of a broader recovery plan. The pain relief is real but modest, typically taking the edge off rather than eliminating discomfort entirely. Pair taping with eccentric strengthening exercises for the forearm flexors (slowly lowering a light weight with your wrist) and activity modification to reduce the repetitive stress that caused the problem. If you’re a golfer, check your grip pressure. If you work at a desk, look at how you position your wrists while typing.
Some people find the tape most useful during the specific activity that aggravates their symptoms, applying it before a round of golf, a workout, or a long stretch of computer work and removing it afterward. Others prefer wearing it throughout the day for steady pain relief. Either approach is reasonable as long as you follow the 24-hour limit and give your skin a break between applications.