Kinesio taping for shoulder dislocations and sprains

Treatment and prevention of shoulder pain without medications and massage seems impossible. But thanks to kinesio taping, discomfort in the joint and muscles quickly disappears.

There are dozens of joints in the human body, and the shoulder is one of the most mobile and complex. The design consists of a ball-shaped head of the humerus, which rotates freely inside the glenoid cavity of the scapula. Without the joint capsule, which covers the joint of the bones, as well as numerous ligaments and tendons, the joint would not withstand even the minimum load. But thanks to the complex structure of the articular apparatus, a person moves his arm in any direction.

Shoulder pain is a common problem, the cause of which lies in damage to the structural elements of the joint, inflammation of the muscles and other tissues around, and pinched nerves. The pain often affects the arms and neck area. The main causes of pain:

• excessive stress on the joint (manual labor, heavy lifting, professional sports);
• sedentary lifestyle (causes stagnation);
• previous surgical interventions or injuries;
• old age (the joint and surrounding tissues wear out and slowly regenerate);
• lesions caused by infection or autoimmune diseases;
• hormonal disorders and changes associated with illness or pregnancy;
• excess weight (increased load on the body).

Today it is possible to cope with pain and regain freedom of movement without the use of medications and drastic lifestyle changes. Kinesio taping is suitable for this. This is a therapeutic method based on the use of special patches. They are applied to the body according to patterns developed by expert kinesiologists. The patch (tape) is made of elastic cotton or synthetic fabric. Thanks to the mechanism of action based on unloading the problem area, it is effective in combating pain, swelling, and sprains.

Shoulder taping

Applying patches to the shoulder area is an alternative to massage and drug treatment. To fix the muscle that hurts in the correct position, a bandage is often used. The obvious advantage of taping over medical elastic bandages is that they do not tighten soft tissues.

• The patches increase blood flow and other metabolic processes.
• Also, unlike an elastic bandage, tape does not restrict movement. Kinesio is translated as “movement”, and in the fixation zone the effect of increasing the free range of movements is triggered.
• Made from hypoallergenic materials, they are similar in elasticity and thickness to leather. Therefore, if you seal a sore spot, the application merges with the body and is not felt.
• Tapes are not noticeable under clothing and are easy to hide. But, if you want to stand out in the gym, you can put bright ribbons on your shoulder. The application is useful for preventing injuries and increasing the effectiveness of training.
• The patches do not contain drugs and relieve pain due to receptor irritation.
• The tapes do not slip and do not need to be adjusted all the time. They work around the clock without causing any discomfort.
• With them it is possible to take a shower, play sports, and lead a normal lifestyle. Thermoactive adhesive is not water soluble. After a shower, blot the patches with a towel without rubbing, do not blow dry.
• Do not apply tapes to damaged areas of skin to prevent infection.
• Wear the application for no more than 5 days, then apply a new one. How many procedures will be required becomes clear during the treatment process.
• To remove tapes safely and easily, use a special liquid.

Taping brings impressive results! It has become widespread in medicine, cosmetology and sports. Created in the 70s, tapes have firmly entered the arsenal of cosmetologists to combat swelling, wrinkles, and sagging skin. Athletes apply these elastic patches to joints and muscles to increase freedom of movement and prevent injury. In the medical field, kinesio tapes are used to treat both young patients and the elderly.

Taping is used not only to relieve pain, but also helps to correct posture, overcome obesity, improve speech, and correct handwriting.

Basic knowledge of anatomy and kinesiology will help you choose the right scheme and apply a patch for discomfort, pain and for prevention. You can get them on thematic portals or from specialized literature.

Medical Center of Traumatology and Orthopedics in Moscow

Our clinic is designed to help patients solve complex problems associated with various orthopedic dysfunctions, as well as treat the consequences of injuries.
The task is not easy, but we cope at the highest level and consider it our duty to give health to everyone who comes to us. We have extensive experience, sufficient to come up with the most optimal work structure that will suit both us and, of course, our guests. The clinic staff are professional doctors with many years of experience in their specialization. The specialists at Dr. Glazkov’s clinic have professional education and constantly improve their skills and knowledge by attending advanced training courses and conferences on a national scale.

Our clinic provides treatment for diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system using advanced and modern technologies.

How to apply tapes to the shoulder

In order for the application to work correctly and bring relief from dislocation, pain in the scapula, deltoid muscle and relieve swelling, the tape should be attached to the shoulder according to the instructions. Preparation for the procedure is also important. It won't take much time, but it will help you stick the patch to the sore spot easily.

• Determine the cause and nature of the pain, its location. For example, after working out in the gym, pain often occurs in the biceps, supraspinatus muscle, and stiffness in movements in the joint is felt.
• Then select the appropriate taping scheme. They are presented in educational literature. The schemes can also be studied and practiced at one of our expert’s seminars. The tape should be glued clearly along them.
• Prepare the patches in advance. Cut the strips to the required length, rounding the sharp ends. This way the application will last longer.
• Clean the taping area of ​​creams, degrease and dry. Remove excess hair in the application area. Thanks to this, the glue will work reliably.
• When gluing kinesio tapes with tension, leave “anchors” 5 centimeters long at the ends, which should be glued without tension.

But is it possible to correctly apply tapes to a sore shoulder on your own? For example, kinesiology experts work wonders. In their hands, seemingly unremarkable rolls of multi-colored patches turn into a full-fledged therapeutic tool. Kinesio taping is used both separately and in combination with other types of therapy: massage, acupuncture, chiropractic.

It was the Japanese-American chiropractor, Kenzo Kase, who developed the concept of kinesio taping. He was the first to apply medical tape patches to maintain patient results between sessions. Later, special elastic patches and dozens of schemes for their fixation were developed.

Since the idea was to alleviate the condition of patients between sessions and consolidate the result, taping schemes are designed in such a way that most of them are easy to perform without outside help, even at home.

Therefore, feel free to use preventive applications that are easy to fix on the body yourself! For example, before going to the gym or heavy physical work, stick standard kinesio tape on your arm muscles and joints and don’t worry about overload. When used correctly, the tapes will work on the taping area, help distribute the load and avoid injury.

As well as preventive ones, it is possible to apply therapeutic applications independently. This is acceptable if the diagnosis is known and a doctor’s recommendations have been received. Or if the painful sensations are not associated with mechanical damage. For example, if a joint is affected by arthrosis, a special tape fixation scheme will help relieve pain. It relieves discomfort through sensory input, reduces swelling and increases freedom of movement.

However, if pain occurs after a dislocation, sprain, fall, or when lifting heavy objects, you must first determine the nature of the injury and make a diagnosis. Then select the pattern for sticking the patches and fix the application.

Shoulder joint treatment

Examples of treatment are not limited to chiropractic care, exercise therapy, a home stretching program, physical therapy, and corticosteroid injections. Joint mobilizations using progressive levels of pressure are the most common manual therapy techniques in the treatment of ZP. Axial traction (distraction), the purpose of which is to increase joint space, is an auxiliary technique of manual therapy.

To implement the best possible treatment, the patient must be fully involved in the therapeutic process. This is required to perform daily exercises aimed at increasing mobility, strengthening the muscles of the shoulder girdle and stretching. It is imperative that the therapist and patient take sufficient time to complete education about the importance of rehabilitation and its components.

Clinicians at the SportClinic are familiar with evidence-based medicine and confidently use a variety of treatment methods for celiac disease. Our rehabilitation therapists use a combination of clinical judgment, experience and science to apply a variety of manual therapy techniques, exercises to strengthen and develop shoulder girdle movement, improve daily ergometry and create a self-paced individual program for the patient. In many difficult cases, the use of active physical rehabilitation may be the most successful treatment approach.

The video provides examples of exercises for stretching and strengthening the shoulder girdle, which are part of the patient's individual program.

Shoulder tape fixation

To get results from the first procedure, tapes must be applied correctly. To do this, carefully read the diagram and strictly follow it. Depending on the task at hand, the technique changes.

For example, for pain in the deltoid muscle, which covers the shoulder joint from above, a simple application scheme with standard kinesio tapes is used.

• Prepare the skin for application, cut 2 strips of plaster 25-30 centimeters long in advance and round the edges.
• Sit on a chair with your back straight and tilt your head in the direction opposite to the sore shoulder. This will tighten the skin and the effect of the tape will be stronger.
• Determine the lower border of the small deltoid muscle and apply the anchor of the first tape without stretching, with a slight tilt to the left.
• Then remove most of the tape from the protective film and fix it with a tension of 25%, going around the muscle in an arc. In order to achieve the required tension, stretch the working part of the tape to the maximum, loosen by half and half again.
• Place the other end of the piece at the base of the collarbone without tension.
• Take the second piece of tape and repeat the application, now going around the deltoid muscle in an arc on the right.
• Rub the tapes so that the acrylic-based thermoactive adhesive adheres securely to the skin.
• Now turn your head back.

A patch pasted according to this pattern will help relieve tension in the muscle, relieve pain and discomfort; you can wear the application for up to 5 days.

For pain in the joint, a different scheme for fixing the patches is used.

• You will need 3 strips of tape 5 centimeters wide.
• The first piece of tape, 25-30 centimeters long, is applied horizontally to the shoulder.
• Stand up and lower your arm freely, feel the shoulder bone and go down under it, to the beginning of the muscle.
• Stick the anchor of a piece of tape without tension; the working part of the tape should be fixed with a tension of 25%.
• Attach the second anchor to the back also without tension, without stepping on the spine.
• The two remaining strips of standard tape, 12-15 centimeters long, are applied perpendicular to the first with a tension of 80%. To do this, tear the protective paper in the middle. Stretch the patch as far as possible and release the tension slightly. Fix the working part, then stick the anchors without tension.

For what ailments may you need to go to emergency traumatology in Moscow?

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system can be different, but the patient does not always know which specialist to contact in a particular case. Let's look at the main types of diseases for which you need to contact Dr. adult traumatology. Glazkov in Moscow:

• Various diseases of the musculoskeletal system, for example, osteoarthritis, postural disorders or flat feet;
• Injuries to closed ligaments;
• Dislocations of a traumatic nature;
• Fractures of ribs, upper and lower extremities;
• Inflammatory processes of ligaments and tendons.

Contraindications

Despite all the advantages of applying kinesio tapes over medical elastic bandages, drug treatment and massage, this method, safe for health, has contraindications:

• oncological diseases;
• benign tumors in the area where the patches are applied;
• skin prone to injury and weak blood vessels;
• venous and arterial thrombosis;
• heart and aortic diseases;
• pregnancy (if the application is applied to the stomach).

Consulting with a doctor will help you find out for sure whether the kinesio taping method is right for you.

Effects of using the technique

The positive effects of the taping technique include:

• anti-inflammatory effect;
• lymphatic drainage effect;
• reduction of pain;
• restoration of the joint and its functioning.

It is worth considering that kinesiology tape cannot be considered a miracle cure that will help in all cases. When applied correctly, these tapes reduce discomfort and pain in the injured area. However, in cases where the inflammation or injury is serious, qualified medical care is necessary. Kinesio taping is mainly used in the early stages of diseases, as well as for preventive purposes, when an athlete experiences increased stress to prevent new injuries. Another important function of taping is rehabilitation: the procedure is used during the recovery period after injuries. Also, when choosing kinesio tapes, it is important to remember that high-quality kinesio tapes that provide the necessary therapeutic effect and support are currently produced in South Korea and Japan, so experts recommend avoiding Chinese analogues and purchasing tapes only from well-known brands. In our online store you can buy kinesio tapes at low prices from the South Korean brand BBTape (Bio Balance Tape) - the leader in the taping market!