The taping of various diseases is now a popular technique in physiotherapy and sports medicine. Preferred is the use of Kinesiotapes, which are often used due to their various effects.
Kinesiotapes
The Kinesiotapes are very elastic, breathable and can be applied very well according to the instructions. Due to the elasticity it adapts very well to the skin. Therefore it can be worn very well despite movement without coming off.
Because the tape accompanies the movement, it supports the muscles and has a massaging effect at the same time. Thus muscles can be loosened and relaxed. Due to the massaging effect, the blood circulation is stimulated.
Important nutrients for the muscles are washed up, waste products and pain mediators are removed. This promotes the healing process and the reduction of pain. The tapes are particularly suitable for supporting and stabilising muscles, ligaments and tendons without the need to immobilise the injured structures. The movement is preserved. Thus, the Kinesiotape is also used to treat herniated discs.
Instructions for Kinesiotaping
The Kinesiotapes can also be used for taping a herniated disc. The herniated disc is often accompanied by severe pain, especially during movement. The tapes can then support the stability of the spine.
They do not impede movement, but accompany it and have a relaxing effect on the muscles. Depending on the height at which the herniated disc is located, the application can vary slightly. It is important that the tapes run along the spine and under the right tension.
It is best to apply the kinesiotapes under the supervision of a professional physiotherapist. In most cases, a star-shaped tape bandage is applied with four strips. The tape is applied on a round back.
The patient simply leans over at the front. They are applied directly to the painful vertebral body to achieve maximum effect. All strips are stuck on under maximum tension, whereby the tensile stress is also transferred to the muscles.
The correct application becomes apparent when the patient straightens up again. The tapes should make waves and adapt to every movement. The strips can stick for 7-10 days.
During this time, additional strengthening back exercises can be done, which are supported by the Kinesiotape. Movement is very important for healing a herniated disc, because strong back and abdominal muscles give the spine more stability. Showering and sweating are usually no problem with the tapes.
Taping of the cervical spine (HWS)
To apply a tape bandage to the cervical spine, the strips are first measured. Strips are required from the 1st to the 7th cervical vertebrae and a strip running crosswise. The corners are rounded for better durability.
Already during the measurement the patient should tilt his head forward to the chest. This way the tape is applied in stretching. The first strip is divided into two strips along its length so that they still stay together at one end.
The result is a V-shaped strip with a base. This base is now glued between the shoulder blades. Afterwards the two strips leaving it can be glued around the prominent seventh cervical vertebra.
The stripes are applied without pulling and should run up to the hairline. Then the thicker tape strip is placed crosswise directly above the pain point. This strip is first glued on under maximum tensile stress and then the ends are only loosely spread out. The tapes support the muscles in the neck and can thus help to alleviate the pain of a slipped disc in the cervical spine.
