Taping for postural correction
The use of taping in those with maladaptive posture.
K taping can prove a useful proprioceptive tool in those with faulty postural patterns that have happened over time. In the picture below the applied K tape is being used as a stimulus to ensure the patient keeps her shoulders retracted and maintains an element of lower cervical extension.
However this alone is not a cure in itself, just a facilitatory tool in encouraging the shoulders and neck to align correctly. This comes from the biofeedback the muscles receive from the tape when moving into unfavourable postures. It can also help encourage the correct muscles to fire more desirable manner.
Due to modern day society, the ever expanding use of technology and the high percentage of computer based jobs it is easy to fall into a “shoulders rolled forward , pokey chin ” type posture which can then lead to chronically shortened pectoral muscles, lax musculature of the posterior shoulder and imbalances that can eventually cause shoulder impingement issues, pain and inflammation. This can end up referring into the hands and arms if not treated. The pokey chin posture can also lead to tension in the neck, overactivity of the scaleni muscles and in some cases cervicogenic headaches.
It is essential that we are aware of our posture and how to correct it. I will always issue my patients with rehabilitation exercises to perform at home and regularly review the progress made, adapting exercises to suit the individual patient. In this particular patient the K tape applied is used to encourage her to keep the shoulders back and reduce any over activation of the traps, or hunching, when performing her shoulder stability and strengthening exercises.
All views expressed in this article are the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of others.
