How to Cut Kinesiology Tape (Step-by-Step With Video)

Proworks kinesiology tape comes as an uncut 5 metre roll, 5cm wide, so every strip is cut to the length you need. This guide shows how we cut and prepare a strip, filmed in our own studio, with photographs taken from that same piece of footage. The single most useful habit is rounding the corners — it takes five seconds and it is the main reason a strip stays put instead of catching on a sock or a sleeve.

What you need

• A roll of Proworks kinesiology tape — uncut, 5m × 5cm
• Sharp scissors. This tape is not designed to be torn by hand, and tearing gives a ragged edge that lifts sooner
• Clean, dry skin for the application itself — no lotion or oil

Step 1 — Measure before you cut

Roll the tape out along the area you are going to tape and add a little at each end for the anchors. It is much easier to measure against the limb than to guess and re-cut. Keep the backing paper on while you do this.

Step 2 — Cut the strip

Cut straight across with sharp scissors. A clean cut matters more than it sounds — a frayed end gives the edge somewhere to start peeling.

Step 3 — Round off the corners

Trim each of the four corners into a curve. Square corners are the first thing to catch on clothing, bedding or a sock, and once a corner lifts the rest of the strip follows. This is the step most people skip and the one that makes the biggest practical difference to how long a strip stays on.

Do it on every strip, including the short anchor pieces.

Step 4 — Peel the backing

Split the backing near one end and peel it away as you go rather than all at once. Try not to touch the adhesive with your fingers — skin oil is exactly what stops it gripping.

Step 5 — Check the stretch

Hold the strip between both hands and feel how much give it has. Only the middle of a strip ever carries tension. The two ends — the anchors — go down with no stretch at all. More stretch is not better; it is the most common reason tape pulls at the skin and lifts early.

Cutting shapes

I-strip

A plain rectangle with rounded corners. The default for most applications, and the shape used in our shoulder and ankle guides.

Y-strip

Cut up the middle from one end, stopping short of the far end so the two tails stay joined to a single anchor. Used where the tape needs to pass either side of something, such as the calf. Round the tips of both tails.

Fan

The same idea with more cuts, giving several thin tails from one anchor.

Whatever the shape, round every free corner.

Common questions

Can I tear kinesiology tape by hand?

Not this one. Proworks kinesiology tape is a cotton and spandex weave and is meant to be cut with scissors. Rigid zinc oxide tape is the hand-tearable kind — the two are different products.

How long should a strip be?

Measure against the area rather than working to a number. Add roughly 3–5cm at each end for the anchors.

How many strips will I get from a roll?

The roll is 5 metres. As a rough guide, a strip for a wrist or calf is usually 20–30cm, so a roll gives a good number of applications depending on what you are taping.

Can I cut several strips in advance?

Yes, and it is easier than cutting mid-application. Keep the backing paper on and store them flat somewhere cool and dry.

Does the colour change anything?

No. All fourteen Proworks colours are the same tape. Pick one you like or one that matches your kit.

Where to go next

• How to use kinesiology tape on your knee
• Taping an ankle
• Applying tape to the shoulder
• Proworks Kinesiology Tape — uncut 5m roll, 14 colours

This tape is a support product, not medical advice. If your pain is severe, followed an injury, or is not settling, speak to a qualified healthcare professional. Do not apply tape to broken, irritated or infected skin.