Lower back pain is a common ailmentthat almost everyone suffers from at one point or another throughout life. Whether it was brought on after a sports injury or caused by just getting older. However, unlike other areas of the body, the back can be particularly difficult to treat, yet pain can become so bad it can be debilitating. For common back strain and stiff muscles, the key to treating frequent back pain or minor injuries might be kinesiology tape.
Kinesiology tape provides nuero-sensory feedback to hlep the users no longer feel pain or discomfort. As the tape lifts the skin away from the muscles, it allows more fluid movement, clearing away swelling and promoting faster healing. Unfortunately, while some kinesiology tape comes with instructions so athletes can put it on themselves, placing tape along the back can be particularly difficult, and not just because you can’t reach back there. Depending on the type of injury or severity of the pain, athletes may want to visit a physical therapist or chiropractor for taping or any other type of recommended treatment. However, for general lower back pain, there are three types of general taping strategies to help relieve minor pains and allow athletes to get back out there.
For these three kinesiology tape treatments on the lower back, it is best to use the 4-inch wide tape opposed to the usual 2-inch kinesiology tape. The wider tape provides more coverage and will serves as a better tugging reminder on the skin so you can revert back to proper posture. Depending on the type of pain that you experience in the lower back area, you will either need decompression or stabilization tape, perhaps even a mixture of the two.
Lower Back That Spreads Across the Back
For back pain that starts in the lower back but reaches like painful fingers all up and down the back, this taping method will help ease the pain. This is one type of pain where the smaller 2-inch tape may be more beneficial.
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Bend at the waist and, without stretching the tape, run two pieces strips up the back on either side of the spine, anchoring the ends just above your waist line.
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Apply decompression tape across the middle of the two vertical pieces of tape, placed just above the waist line of your pants. Stretch tape 50%-75% in middle at the site of the lower back pain, but there is no need to stretch the ends.
Lower Back Pain along the Spine
Similar to the above treatment for lower back pain that spreads up the back, treating lower back pain the runs along the spine can be helped by a simple technique. This taping strategy is also a good relief for general back pain when you can’t quite describe the pain.
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Bend at the waist and anchor two vertical strips just below the waist line of your pants. Placing two stabilization strips on each side of the spine, apply them with little to no stretch as closely to the spine as possible without being on top of it.
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When you resume normal standing, the tape should have no wrinkles in it if applied properly.
Lower Back Pain across the Sacroiliac Area
For lower back pain that is spread across the sacroiliac area, kinesiology tape is one of the best treatments and simple to apply.
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Bend at the waist and apply decompression ape across the lower back just above the waist line. Stretch tape 50-75% in middle area where the pain is at its worst, but do no stretch the ends.
Have more questions about using kinesiology tape? Contact us today to learn more and check out our selection of taping products!