Infrared Kinesiology Tape Increases Skin Temperature and Red Blood Cell Flux at Rest.

No plain (non-infrared) kinesiology tape was used as a control, so the specific contribution of the infrared coating cannot be separated from the general effect of applying any adhesive tape to the skin. All participants were young, healthy adults with no pain or circulation problems; the findings cannot be extended to patients with impaired blood flow, chronic pain, or older age. Investigators were not blinded because the tape was visible, which the authors acknowledge could introduce measurement bias. The tape was provided by and the study was sponsored by the manufacturer, so independent replication is needed. Single-site study with 25 participants; the authors themselves call for replication by investigators without industry sponsorship. Hydration status and time of day were not independently controlled, though the authors argue the within-subject design minimises this concern.

TruePower, the manufacturer of ThriveTape, provided the tape and sponsored the project. The authors state the company had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or the decision to publish.

Do not read the significant temperature and blood-flow increases as proof that the far-infrared coating is doing something special. The study had no plain-tape control, so the observed changes could be entirely due to the adhesive covering the skin, and the authors themselves say the infrared mechanism is speculative.