12 Jun Taping for Lower Back Pain
Kinesiology tape is one tool that I often use for lower back pain.
The feeling of the tape on your skin may help to alter pain sensations, particularly in those first few days of an acute episode of pain. It’s a difficult area to tape yourself, so here’s how to show your loved one or helpful friend how to do it for you!
Firstly a little trick is to round the edges of your strips to stop the corners from peeling up. Then, have the person bend over slightly and rest on a bench.
Lay the first 5cm of tape down with no stretch at the base of the spine on one side. Then pull the tape so there is around 50% stretch along the muscles along the spine, laying the last 5cm down with no stretch. Repeat the same on the other side.
Place another piece perpendicular to the others directly over the area of most pain. Pull the tape so there is 50% stretch over the area then lay the ends down with no stretch. This example shows pain in the middle of the spine. If the pain is mainly on one side, then tape more over toward that side.
If you experience any irritation such as itchiness or redness, remove the tape immediately, otherwise the tape can be worn for 2-3 days if providing pain relief.
Then if you haven’t already I recommend you see a physio for more tailored advice and stay tuned for more posts on managing lower back pain .
To find a physio in your area of Australia or New Zealand click here.
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