Acupressure Taping By Hans-Ulrich Hecker, M.D., and Kay Liebchen, M.D.
Contents
Introduction
1
~
PART 1: WHAT IS ACUPRESSURE TAPING?
00 When Not to Use Acupressure Taping
Acupressure Taping: A New Therapeutic Method
00
Complex or Structural Disorders
The Foundation: Kinesio-Taping
00
The Influence of Chinese Medicine The Influence of Acupuncture
00
00
Some Practical Tips
00
00 00
00
How To Prevent Failure 00
00
A Sightseeing Tour around the Human
Various Indications for the Effective Use of
Body
00
00
Acupressure Taping in Sports Medicine
00
Head, Chest, Abdominal, and Pelvic Regions 00
Against What Sort of Pain Is Acupressure Taping Effective?
00
00
What Areas of the Body Can Be Treated? Duration of Therapy
00
Who Can Benefit from Acupressure
Acupressure Taping
00
00
Acupressure Tape Colors
Examples of Acupressure Taping
Taping?
When Acupressure Taping Is Not Advised
Description of the Acupressure Tape
00
How Does Acupressure Taping Work?
00
Acupressure Tape: Information and Tips
00
The Influence of Manual Medicine and Osteopathy
00
Other Factors Pertaining to a Disorder
What Is the Basis of Acupressure Taping?
00
The Arms 00 The Legs 00
00
~
PART 2: HOW TO USE ACUPRESSURE TAPE 1. Finger and Forearm Extensor Tape 2. Finger and Forearm Flexor Tape 3. Thumb Saddle Joint Tape
00
4. Elbow Joint Extensor Tape
00
5. Elbow Joint Flexor Tape 6. Pectoral Muscle Tape
00
00
Muscles)
00 00
21. Hip And Loin Flexor (Iliopsoas) Muscle Tape
00
22. Knee Tape
00
8. Levator Scapula Muscle Tape
00
00
10. Levator Costarum (or Scalenus) Muscle Tape
00
20. Pelvic Bone Muscle Tape
00
9. Rotator Cuff Muscle Tape
Abdominus)
19. Abdominal Muscle Tape (Oblique
00
7. Trapezius Muscle Tape
18. Abdominal Muscle Tape (Rectus
00
23. Combination Tape 24. Knee Flexor Tape
00 00
25. Achilles Tendon and Ankle Joint Tape
00
11. Rhomboid Muscle Tape 12. Cervical Spine Tape
Afterword
00
13. Cervical Spine Lymph Tape 14. Thoracic Spine Tape 15. Lumbar Spine Tape
00
Sources of Acupressure Tape 00
About the Authors
00
00
00
Index
00
16. Lumbar Spine Star Tape 17. Sacroiliac Joint Tape
Appendix: Ailments From A to Z
00
00
00
00
00
00
Acupressure Taping: A New Therapeutic Method Acupressure taping is a new therapeutic method that uses flexible tape bandages on the basis of the theory of acupuncture.
T
he word acupressure combines the prefix “acu-” from the word acupuncture and the word pressure. An acupressure massage therapist uses finger pressure on the same points in which an acupuncturist inserts needles. In acupressure taping, the elastic tape applies subtle pressure to the taped area, often stimulating acupuncture points related to the area where the patient feels pain. The term “acupressure taping” thus indicates that this is a new therapeutic method that establishes a connection between the theory of acupuncture and the practice of kinesio-taping. The difference between kinesio-taping and acupressure taping can be explained in this fashion: In kinesio-taping, the tapes are attached
to the immediate area of a muscle, ligament, or joint that is in pain. In acupressure taping, along with these specific anatomical aspects at the locus of pain, the diagnostic and therapeutic rules of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, as well as the manual medical approach of osteopathy, also are taken into consideration when placing the tapes. When these holistic methods of understanding are applied to the tape placements, the specific areas of the body that are taped may not necessarily be perceived as problem areas by the patient, yet tensions or blocked energy in these areas may be considered to have, in fact, an important causal relationship to the disorders or pain actually felt in other parts of the body.
Unlike conventional medicine, which uses tape as nonelastic, restrictive bandages for the purpose of binding and immobilizing joints, acupressure taping does not inhibit freedom of movement.
4
12. Cervical Spine Tape
Ailments
~ Pain in the area of the cervical spine ~ Headaches ~ Dizziness ~ Ringing in the ear (tinnitus) ~ Pain in the area of the elbow ~ Tennis elbow ~ Golfer’s elbow ~ Pain in the area of the wrist ~ Carpal tunnel syndrome (numbness
Important: Fold the second strip of tape
at the halfway point of its length and crease it well so that you can clearly see its middle point.
Tip: Do a preliminary stretching of the mus-
in the
cles and joints so you can measure the length of the tape strips exactly.
area of the hand)
Number and Length of Tapes Number of Tapes: 2 Measuring the Tape
~ First strip of tape: Runs from the upper thoracic spine to the hairline (3).
Important: Three quarters of the length
of the tape should be cut down the middle with a pair of scissors. Both ends should be rounded off (2).
~ Second strip of tape: Runs from the middle of the right shoulder, across the back just below the neck, to the middle of the left shoulder (5).
68
Preliminary Stretching and Attachment of the Tape Preliminary Stretching
~ Bend
your head forward with your chin reaching as far as possible toward the breastbone, which will make the vertebral process at the base of the cervical spine visible (1).
Attaching the Tape
~ Attach
the first strip of tape at the upper part of the thoracic spine, beginning with the uncut end (2). Attach the left portion of the cut strip of tape on the left side of the spine up to the hairline, slightly left of center (3).
Cervical Spine Tape
1
3
2
~
69
~
70
~ Attach ~
How to Use Acupressure Tape
the right portion of the cut tape on the right side of the spine up to the hairline, slightly right of center (4). Attach the second strip of tape across the first strip at the transition from the cervical spine to the thoracic spine. The vertebral process of the cervical spine can be seen or felt easily as described in the preliminary stretching instructions. Use the middle fold on the second strip of tape to center it on the vertebral process. Attach the tape in a curve running right and left to the middle of each shoulder (5).
4
Please Note
~ The
~
transition points between the different regions of the spine are prone to disorders, so it is important that the second strip of tape completely cover the area of transition from the cervical spine to the thoracic spine. The cervical spine tape can also be used with the two strips of cervical spine lymph tape (see pages 72 and 73).
5
