Posts Tagged ‘kinesiology taping for back pain’
Lower back pain, without a doubt, is the ailment that knows no barriers … it plays no favors among the young and the old or the fit and the sedentary. In the athletic realm, each sport has certain injuries that are more common – for example, long distance runners and IT Band Syndrome go hand in hand. Low back pain, however, crosses boundaries from sport to sport, striking runners, cyclists, gymnasts, racquet sport players, and so on, showing absolutely no respect.
There are almost as many remedies for back pain as there are back pain sufferers, and yet, it continues to strike 80% of the population at some point in their lives. Kinesiology tape is a therapeutic tape that is used to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and prevent to eliminate muscle spasms. While kinesiology taping is not a cure-all for back pain, it can be incredibly effective for those suffering from back pain related to inflammation, poor posture, improper movement patterns, overuse, and more.
This part of a series of posts presenting very simple, yet effective, taping techniques that virtually anyone can master. They were developed by the makers of RockTape, a new brand of kinesiology tape that has been engineered to enhance athletic performance in addition to providing therapeutic benefits.
How to Tape for Lower Back Pain
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My last post discussed the incidence of lower back pain in competitive cyclists. The following instructions for applying pre-cut kinesiology tape for lower back pain are not limited to cyclists, however. Anyone who has experienced spasms, stiffness or pain in their lower back can benefit from the following technique.
Unless you have specialized training in kinesiology taping techniques, I recommend using pre-cut applications. Already designed for specific parts of the body, precut kinesiology tape allows you to completely skip the often difficult steps of designing and cutting an application from a roll of kinesiology tape. There is only one brand of pre-cut kinesiology tape currently available. It’s called SpiderTech Tape, and it comes in 15 different applications for different parts of the body. As the following illustration shows, the reverse side of the tape is divided into numbered sections, making it simple to know which pieces to apply first.
Here are the step-by-step instructions for applying the SpiderTech precut kinesiology tape application for the lower back.
Note: Because the goal of this application is pain relief, we follow the principle, “stretch the muscle, not the tape.”
Preparation
Ensure that the skin of the elbow and forearm is clean and dry. Prepare the precut lower back kinesiology tape by tearing the backing along each of the perforated lines. This will allow you to apply each section individually, creating a more effective application.
Step 1: With subject standing, peel the backing from half of section 1 and apply (with no stretch in the tape) at the base of the lower back. Remove the remaining backing from section 1 and apply. Gently rub the tape from the center toward the outside to activate the glue.
Step 2: Have subject bend forward into a curled position to obtain maximum stretch of the back extensor muscles. If necessary, the arms can be used to support the upper body against the thighs.
Step 3: Begin peeling the backing from the left “arm” of section 2, and begin applying the tape (with no additional stretch) along the muscles directly left of the spine. Continue removing the backing and pressing the tape against the skin until the entire strip has been applied.
Step 4: Begin peeling the backing from the right “arm” of section 2, and begin applying the tape (with no additional stretch) along the muscles directly right of the spine. Continue removing the backing and pressing the tape against the skin until the entire strip has been applied.
Step 5: Begin peeling the backing from the outer right arm of section 3, and apply the tape (with no additional stretch) in the direction of the right armpit. Continue peeling away the backing and applying the tape until the entire section has been applied.
Step 6: Begin peeling the backing from the outer left arm of section 3, and apply the tape (with no additional stretch) in the direction of the left armpit. Continue peeling away the backing and applying the tape until the entire section has been applied.
Most people are aware of the time-honored mantra “ICE,” for painful, stiff or spasmed muscles. The acronym refers to Ice, Compression and Elevation, and has been the mainstay of injured athletes the world over for decades. While this may still be appropriate for serious injuries, let’s face it, most of us aren’t going to take the time to sit with our minor aches and pains swathed in ice packs and elevated on pillows. And, compressing everything in that stiff sports tape isn’t exactly conducive to ongoing activity, either.
A newer and much more convenient solution is a new type of athletic wrapping tape called kinesiology tape. Completely different from the athletic wrapping tape associated with the hands of boxers and MMA fighters, kinesiology tape is much more convenient for those dealing with muscle stiffness or soreness, overuse injuries, cramps and the like.
Kinesiology tape, first popularized at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is appearing more and more these days, on amateur and professional athletes alike. It’s thin, lightweight and stretchy, which means it can be worn comfortably without restricting range of motion. It’s unique properties allow it to relieve pain, reduce swelling and increase circulation – all important factors in getting back into the game sooner.
In addition, a single application of kinesiology sports tape can be worn for 3-5 days, providing therapeutic benefits and pain relief around the clock. Both professional and recreational athletes have found that it often allows then to continue to train and/or compete as they recover from their minor injuries.
Kinesiology tape has traditionally been available in 2″ wide rolls, which must then be cut and applied in specialized configurations based on the injury and part of the body being treated. More recently, a breakthrough product called SpiderTech Tape was introduced. SpiderTech kinesiology tape comes in pre-cut applications for specific body parts. This greatly simplifies the process of applying and benefiting from kinesiology tape.
If you don’t want your minor aches and pains to keep you down, you might be a perfect candidate for kinesiology tape!