Can you sleep with KT tape?

KT tape is commonly used by athletes to support and relieve pain around joints or in the muscles. Many athletes use them to support muscles and to alleviate pain during competitions. The great thing about KT tape is that it does not reduce your range of motion when wearing it. There are many reasons to use KT tape on the day of a race, but it can take a long time to apply the tape correctly on the morning of your event. So you might wonder if you can apply the tape the night before and if it is still going to be efficient.

You can sleep with KT tape. Actually, the tape can be worn for 3-4 days without deteriorating its properties. It takes a couple of hours to bond correctly and be fully supportive. Thus, it is not recommended to apply it just before sleeping.

In this article, I will give you a bit more insight about wearing KT tape overnight and answer some common questions about it.

Can you wear KT tape overnight?

KT Tape can be worn overnight. Actually, when used as a treatment for an injury such as tendinitis, your PT will ask you to wear it for a few days at a time before changing it. This is how it is supposed to work.

So if you are an athlete trying to get extra support and muscle relief on your next race, you can definitely apply the KT tape the night before the race. You do not need to wait until the morning of the race.

Is it uncomfortable to sleep with KT tape?

I have worn KT tape on my ankle after an injury a few years ago. You only think about the tape for an hour or two. It’s just the time your brain needs to forget about it. It doesn’t hurt, it’s just an unusual feeling at first. So if you don’t apply it at the last minute, like 10 minutes before going to bed, you will completely forget about it and you won’t notice it when sleeping.

If you don’t sleep that night, it’s probably not the fault of the tape, maybe just the stress of the next day’s race.

Can it affect the tape effectiveness?

People generally wonder if applying the tape the night before a race will reduce its effectiveness. You can wonder if it will stretch out the tape, or there is a risk if will peel off while sleeping and you will have to do it all again the next morning.

The tape is designed to stay on for a few days. It is waterproof and will be supportive for a long time. It won’t stretch out further by wearing it as it is bonded on your skin. Don’t worry you can apply it the night before, it won’t affect its performance.

If you are someone who moves a lot at night, there is a slight chance the tape could start falling off on the edges when catching up on your sheet. But it won’t peel off your tape entirely, maybe just a tiny bit on the edges. So nothing to worry about. And if you apply your tape correctly, a few hours before going to bed, giving enough time for the bonding to happen, it should not peel off on the first night.

From my experience, I had no issues at all with it overnight. And the tape on my ankle was really at risk of peeling off due to the way it was cut. It looked like a spider web, with lots of tiny bands of tape.

Should you apply any caution when applying KT tape?

KT tape should always be applied on clean, dry, and hairless skin. Once applied, gently rub the tape to improve the adherence on your skin. This will help with the bonding.

If you are going to race a triathlon, or any type of sport with extreme conditions (high temperatures, water, intense sweat…) you should consider buying KT tape ‘Pro extreme’. It has a much better bonding and will last longer. It will definitely not fall off at night.