How to Tape for Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow. Even if you've never picked up a racket, it can still sneak up on you. 

We're going to be diving into what it actually is, why your elbow’s throwing a tantrum, and how something as simple as a stretchy bit of tape might just help take the edge off. Let's do it.

Let’s start by making sure we’re all on the same page. If you haven’t come across it before, Kinesiology Tape is a stretchy cotton (or sometimes synthetic) tape that’s designed to move with your skin. These days, you’ll see it used everywhere, from physio clinics to pro athletes, because it helps provide pain relief and a bit of extra support to tired or overworked joints, muscles, and tendons.

It’s become one of the most popular tools in sports medicine, especially for people trying to stay active while managing injuries. Most tapes are still made from cotton, sometimes blended with nylon, lycra, or other materials to give them their signature stretch and flexibility.

But all you really need to know is that it's designed to help support you. If you're interested in reading more about specifically how Kinesiology Tape is used, why not check out our blog on how to get your roll to stick every time.

Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis if you want to get fancy, is when the tendons on the outside of your elbow get irritated or, in some cases, swollen. It usually kicks off from doing the same arm or wrist movements over and over again. Things like swinging a tennis racket, using a screwdriver, or even typing loads. The tendons get overworked and end up sore from too much strain.

Despite the name, you definitely don’t have to play tennis to get it. It’s common in anyone who does repetitive arm motions. So think painters, plumbers, or anyone who’s using tools or a keyboard a lot. Basically, if you’re doing the same movement on repeat with your forearm, you could be at risk.

If you’ve got tennis elbow, you’ll probably feel pain or a bit of a burning sensation on the outside of your elbow. Sometimes the pain travels down your forearm too, and simple stuff like turning a doorknob or lifting a kettle can start to feel weirdly uncomfortable.

The good news is that it usually gets better with a bit of rest and care. Things like icing the area, stretching, strengthening exercises, and using support like a brace can all help. It’s mainly about easing the strain and giving it time to settle down.

But now for the big money question, can tape help at all?

In short, yes, it can. Kinesiology Tape isn't a magic fix, but it can definitely make a difference when it comes to easing the load on those sore tendons and reducing some of the discomfort that comes with the injury.

As we know, the tape works by gently lifting the skin, which can help with blood flow and reduce pressure in the area. That little bit of support it gives can take some of the strain off the muscles and tendons around your elbow, making things like gripping, lifting, or just moving your arm feel a bit easier.

It’s also a great way to remind your body to move in a slightly better or less painful way. If you’re someone who tends to push through elbow pain, having the tape on can act like a nudge to slow down and avoid movements that make it worse. It won’t heal the injury on its own, but it can be a handy part of your toolkit while you recover.

Let's look at how it's applied...

You're going to want to start with the arm totally rested, but with a slight bend at the elbow. Measure and cut a strip of tape from just above the elbow down to the wrist and always remember to round the edges. From there, create a Y-STRIP by cutting your strip of tape down the centre and leave a small tab at the end. And the same again - round the corners of your 'tails'.

Now, with the arm still relaxed, stick the end of the tape just above the elbow. Slowly peel away the majority of the backing paper from one tail, remembering to leave only a small tab at the end. Holding that tab (so that you don't touch the glue), stick down your first tail on the inside of the forearm, finishing at the wrist. 

From there, repeat this for your second tail, laying it down with no stretch, but this time, on the outside of the forearm. You're going to want to curve the second strip of tape back towards the first, overlapping them slightly at the end of each strip to create a teardrop shape.

Now that you have your teardrop, measure a third strip of tape across the elbow, about the distance between the edges of your two tails. Cut the tape and round all those edges to help prevent any fraying or anything catching on any clothing.

Rip the backing paper to reveal a small tab of tape and stick it to the outside of the elbow, aiming inwards. Now the important bit. Pull the tape towards the inside of the forearm, stretching the tape to around 75% as you stick it down. Don't forget to stick the rest of the tape down with no stretch.

(See image below for reference.)

And that's it! Tennis Elbow taping made easy. Like we mentioned, tape is never a magic fix, and we would always recommend speaking to a physio beforehand, but can it help relieve a little bit of that pain and strain that you've been pushing through? Yes.

If you want to learn any more about Kinesiology Taping, head to our learn page now and make your way through some of our favourite taping applications!