Friday, January 20, 2012

Help for aching muscles, etc....personal post

I am all about learning of new things/ideas...new recipes, new editing programs, new photog tips, new closet design ideas (thanks Pinterest)...
So when I had a leg injury, I was ELATED to find something that worked...something that didn't involve prescription drug or surgery.
About a year ago I pulled something in my right thigh. All I did was lift my leg to tie my tennis shoe (to go jogging) and SNAP! Felt like a rubber band pop. It didn't really hurt right then...the only way I can describe it the first day or two was that it felt like I needed to stretch my thigh. Then, about the third day--WHAMO! I couldn't get out of the bed! I could not put weight on it, nor could I use crutches to keep my weight off it because it was excruciating to even bend it to keep it off the ground.
After a bit of bed rest and hobbling, I mentioned it to friends and someone recommended acupuncture. Well, I was all about holistic medicine, because, as I said before, there ain't no way (hehe) this gal was going to go under the knife, if that may have been the case. So off to acupuncture I went last February to Dr. Wu at Healing Arts in Miramar Beach. 
After reading through his notebook of testimonials, boy was I impressed. Acupuncture really didn't hurt at all, and I believe it helped somewhat. But I only went for about a month, and then got so busy with photography that I didn't take the time to go anymore. Until this past October.
I have been going every week through present (with the exception of a couple of weeks over the holidays) and it continues to help...not as much pain. And by the way, my massage therapist and my husband's chiropractor both came up with what my problem must be....a strained IT band...google it, cause I had never heard of it!
But then.....TRUMPETS SOUNDING!!!! I mentioned my condition to my sweet neighbor Angie (a physical therapist assistant) just last weekend, and she said, "I can wrap it...I have some tape."
Well, I'm thinking, tape like an ace bandage. Wrong.




This tape is called Kinesio tape...according to the website kinesiotaping.com, ..."The Kinesio Taping® Method is a definitive rehabilitative taping technique that is designed to facilitate the body’s natural healing process while providing support and stability to muscles and joints without restricting the body’s range of motion as well as providing extended soft tissue manipulation..Kinesio® Tex Tape alleviates pain and facilitates lymphatic drainage by microscopically lifting the skin.  This lifting affect forms convolutions in the skin thus increasing interstitial space and allowing for a decrease in inflammation of the affected areas."
Not sure what all that just meant, but I am a walking example that it works!  There is less pain in a week than in a year of acupuncture!
So I googled the tape, and see pictures of how all sorts of athletes are being taped, runners are taped for marathons, and on and on. If anyone out there has arthritis, I would google to see if it would help that. And my friend Angie, well she said she tried it on back pain and it alleviated it within a day.

Kinesio Tex Tape

Kinesio Tex Tape


You can order it online and there are videos of the application on youtube.  And there are colors choices...black, pink, blue and tan. I don't know...next time I think I'll be brave and go for the pink. Fashion statement!!

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