Taping for beginners

[kongen]

Hi all!

I mostly give neurodynamic movement therapy as homework to my patients, but I'm considering experimenting with taping as well, to help those neural tunnels and/or their brain downregulating pain (sort of hands-on therapy, even I'm not there!? :))

Is taping worthwhile to pursue in your experience?
Any beginner tips as what consider when applying the tape?
There are some suggestions in the DNM manual, are the arrows the direction of skin pull?
Kinesiotape is the one to go for?

Thanks for any input.

[Diane]

Hi Anders,
In my experience taping skin into positions of comfort is a very helpful thing.
The ideas in the manual are suggestions only. There are no "rules" yet. The arrows are meant to depict the direction of tape pull.
Kinesiotape is very good. It's expensive but you do not need to use very much. As in most things, less is more.

It's important to explain to people how to remove the tape, so that they do not remove their skin with it.

[Javier Gonzalez]

Hi Anders,
In my experience taping is very useful after treating people as a complement for neurodynamics, I used to improve the work I do in my private practice and tape the patient some times until the next treatment.
I always use Kinesiotape, as Diane says you don't need very much and in this case I agree "less is more".

[emad]

It has also placebo effect .

cheers
Emad

[Javier Gonzalez]

It has also placebo effect .
Of course it is always useful in a lot of thechnics that we use.;)

[agmout]

Tape is a great tool,
We normally only know the athletic taping but after working with Mcconnel, kinesio tape and shortly with funtional fascial taping, you see that everything is not to restrict the ROM. A very interesting perspective is opened now in tape world..

[nari]

Hola agmout,

What is functional fascial taping?
I cannot imagine how fascia can be taped, and I've used taping for pain for some years.

Nari

[NateM]

I recently have used tape methods via Diane's DNM manual for some ankle edema. I don't have kinesio tape, but used a cover tape and created a dermal "traction" effect. Excellent results with an almost abolishment of the swelling. This after 3 weeks with no taping and no change in edema.

Shoulda done it sooner....

Love to get some kinesio tape, too.

[Diane]

I imagine you have a happier patient Nate. :)
Actually, why bother with kinesiotape at $80/roll (making some chiro in Japan wealthy) if what you used worked OK?
What kind did you use and how much does it cost?

[oljoha]

I imagine you have a happier patient Nate. :)
Actually, why bother with kinesiotape at $80/roll (making some chiro in Japan wealthy) if what you used worked OK?
What kind did you use and how much does it cost?

I signed up for a kinesiotape course on monday and ordered a couple of rolls of tape at the same time. It was like 20 USD per roll.

I'll bet one will get a significant placebo effect with that hot pink color.

[Javier Gonzalez]

kinesiotape at $80/roll (making some chiro in Japan wealthy)
Here in Spain kinesiotape costs 11 euros/roll ($18/roll)

[NateM]

I imagine you have a happier patient Nate.


She is very pleased. She reported feeling like her high ankle sprain was finally making progress.


What kind did you use and how much does it cost?


I used BSN Medical Cover-Roll Stretch tape first along the fibular region distally and applied BSN Medical Leukotape P to provide the traction effect, pulling proximally. Just a slight force was used to provide the dermal traction. She loves it and is walking without the boot with minimal pain now.

As for cost, I guess that's my benefit of working as an employee. My boss orders it...not sure what he might pay through his vendor. I can find out, though.

Does anyone have the Kinesiotape booklet that they sell on the website?

[Diane]

The first time I ordered the tape a booklet arrived with it. I browsed through it and pitched it out. It suggested multiple layers of taping with long strips for a carpal tunnel syndrome. I thought, what a load of (conceptual) crap. And what a waste of tape.

Sorry, here Kinesiotape is not $80/roll, it's $80 a box. (A box has 6 rolls.)
My bad.

Is BSN Medical Cover-Roll stretch tape cheaper Nate, do you think?

The latest kinesiotape I ordered didn't have wavy lines on the sticky side anymore - it had (probably cheaper to make) little straight lines. It matters not what kind of tape it is, probably, just that it's stretchy. Stretchy tape (of whatever kind) won't restrict movement of the joint, or ligaments for that matter, just holds the skin (and any nerves embedded in it) off the square they were on. Neurodynamics.

Kinda makes one stop, pause, and reevaluate the whole concept, "sprained ankle", doesn't it?

[NateM]

Is BSN Medical Cover-Roll stretch tape cheaper Nate, do you think?


PTDirectOnline.com sells a case of the Cover Roll (12 rolls, 2 inches wide x 10 yards) for $163.25 US.

Tartangroup.com sells the same product by the roll for $10.02 for the 2 inch x 10 yards, or $14.93 for the 4 inch x 10 yards.

I have the 2 inch in the office. Maybe it's cheaper elsewhere?

[Diane]

So, it sounds like it's somewhat cheaper, maybe 20 to 25%. That's quite a saving - could add up over a career.

[Barrett Dorko]

Nate,

In post #12 you mentioned some progress with a "high ankle sprain." It wasn't until about ten years ago that I ever heard of such a condition and though I may have been inattentive I find it hard to believe that this epidemic began recently. I think it was simply not properly identified.

In any case, I have the feeling that a real understanding and demonstrably effective form of care for the condition would make a career for those interested.

I don't see these patients but I'd love to see a thread on the condition and its management. Maybe in the Performance Lab.

[NateM]

In post #12 you mentioned some progress with a "high ankle sprain."


Yeah, that was her diagnosis. It has been problematic for her for 6 weeks now. Slow recovery.

I think it was simply not properly identified.

I agree.


I don't see these patients but I'd love to see a thread on the condition and its management. Maybe in the Performance Lab.


There's a fella that sells a program on treating sprained ankles using a bungee-type cord. He evens sells a book...not sure if anyone's tried it to see how effective it might be.

http://www.jumpstretch.com/

[Vanscott]

I'm interested in learning more about Kinesiotaping. Can anyone recommend a decent text and/or video as a starting point?

I checked amazon but no product has more than 1 or 2 reviewers.

Thanks in advance, Scott

[Diane]

I don't think there is any good source Vanscott. You kind of learn to use it by using it. I don't recommend any of the booklets that come with the tape. Generally they suggest using way too much. Very little of the stuff is needed.
I have some taping suggestions in my manual, which you are welcome to download if you want.

[canuckpt]

Dianne,

How can I get a copy of your manual?

[Diane]

I can send you one, if you PM me with your email. Otherwise, you will be able to download it yourself when you've posted sufficient times.

[John W]

Scott,
I'm curious, why, as an implant hardware sales rep., would you be interested in learning interventions for painful movement conditions? Self-treat perhaps?

[Vanscott]

Hi there John. Let's not forget that I also have a degree in Kinesiology and another in Cellular, Molecular & Microbial Biology. I don't say this to impress anyone by any stretch, only to point out that I still retain a scholarly interest in these topics.

... but yes, I'm interested in why/how it works and would probably experiment with self treatment.

[John W]

It's just that the vast majority who post here are licensed professionals who actually treat patients. While I can understand your scholarly interest in the neurobiology of pain, your interest in the applied and practical interventions strikes me as curious.

If self-treatment is your motive, then have at it. I'll expand on what Diane stated by saying that taping is one of those interventions where art meets science. Where to place the tape, which way to pull, how hard, how big a piece to use, what you've explained to the patient: it's a multi-factorial, a posteriori kind of intervention. I've been using tape for 10 years on patients, and I sometimes find its a matter of moving it a centimeter this way or that that can make the difference.

You probably make a good living though selling those implants, so you can probably afford that stuff at about $8/roll. Happy taping!

[EricM]

$8 a roll!!?? I'd love to know where I could get it for that little. A roll of Kinesiotape costs me approx $20. Another example of how a different standard applies to the price of goods north of the border in spite of the dollar being at or near par. :rolleyes:

[Diane]

Yeah. Maybe we should ask John to buy us tape then go visit him, pick it up.

[Vanscott]

It's just that the vast majority who post here are licensed professionals who actually treat patients. While I can understand your scholarly interest in the neurobiology of pain, your interest in the applied and practical interventions strikes me as curious.

If self-treatment is your motive, then have at it. I'll expand on what Diane stated by saying that taping is one of those interventions where art meets science. Where to place the tape, which way to pull, how hard, how big a piece to use, what you've explained to the patient: it's a multi-factorial, a posteriori kind of intervention. I've been using tape for 10 years on patients, and I sometimes find its a matter of moving it a centimeter this way or that that can make the difference.

You probably make a good living though selling those implants, so you can probably afford that stuff at about $8/roll. Happy taping!

Heheh ... you're right John. I'm afraid my presence here may prove to be pretty one sided :angel:.

To expand a bit on the reason I was asking ... I run quite a bit ... to the tune of about 30k a week. I've recently noticed a rather obvious 'clunk' on the outside of my right greater trochanter (started about 2 months ago. Nothing different in my routine). This 'clunk' produces zero pain and occurs at the start of weight bearing. I 'self diagnosed' as having a tight IT band and began the usual home made treatments: painful rolling on my foam roller, tennis ball in the gluts, etc. None of it has made any difference.

Again, there is absolutely NO pain associated with this sensation ... but I have a tough time believing that it is completely benign. After discovering this board, I started experimenting with some light skin pull/stretches while I walk and I've found that the clunking/snapping can almost completely disappear in some positions.

Hence I thought that I would experiment with kinesiotaping as a way to apply this skin stretch while I run.

ps. Thank you for directing me to your Manual, Diane. You are definitely a valuable resource!

[Diane]

Vanscott, you're welcome...
you'll find that taping right over the trochanter diagonally and medially (just like the stripes on speedskaters' leggings) and on down the quad toward the medial side of the knee feels pretty good.
Gee. maybe you won't need one of those artificial hips you sell after all. ;)

Say Ware, I'm half serious about the kinesio tape thing. Is it really only $8 a roll in the US?

[John W]

Sorry, I must've been thinking of Leukotape per roll price. However, we pay $11.50/roll for a box of 6 rolls of kinesiotape. That's a heck of a lot better than $20/roll. Here's the link to our vendor: http://www.advantagemedical.com/index.asp

[Diane]

Thanks John! :)

Thre is probably duty etc on that price, driving it up here.
But I'll keep that link.

[Jon Newman]

Diane, maybe you could arrange some sort of "drugs for tape" deal. By drugs, I mean those legal but prescriptive kind. And of course, I'm joking.

[Diane]

Jon, you are hilarious. My opinion. Alledgedly hilarious.

The duty, taxes etc. might vary depending on case lot/size of order etc.