EDS patients—have you ever had a physical therapist “tape you”?

[Sushi]

I just came back from PT taped and wonder what others’ experience is with this?

https://www.verywellhealth.com/kinesiology-tape-in-physical-therapy-2696435

 

[Foxglove]

I read about it. I haven't tried it and there's no one in my area that would be competent to help with this.

The teaching university that influences my area thinks vascular EDS and classical EDS are important and hEDS is trash. They apparently don't know there's 10 other kinds, and likely more to discover.

I am a little scared to try the tape because of skin issues, even though I heard about it from an EDS source.

If I try to open a jar, it can feel like layers of my skin separate from each other. So why would pulling them apart work well? I feel very confused about that.

 

[Sushi]

I am a little scared to try the tape because of skin issues, even though I heard about it from an EDS source.

My therapist said to just leave the tape on for a day to test skin reaction. So far okay so I”ll give it a test.

 

[toyfoof]

Yes, I’ve been taped, and I love the way it helps keep me in correct posture - I’m usually too fatigued to hold myself up straight on my own.

A word of caution: be careful getting the tape wet. It’s supposed to be okay to shower with, and I’d never had problems until last week, when my PT used a new brand of tape. The places where the tape had started to unstick from my skin (I’d had it on for a couple days at that point) became electrically charged, or something, when the water hit, and I’m now dealing with several small burns across the top of my shoulders and on my neck.

 

[Sushi]

A word of caution: be careful getting the tape wet. It’s supposed to be okay to shower with, and I’d never had problems until last week, when my PT used a new brand of tape. The places where the tape had started to unstick from my skin (I’d had it on for a couple days at that point) became electrically charged, or something, when the water hit, and I’m now dealing with several small burns across the top of my shoulders and on my neck

Yikes, thanks for the caution!

 

[Moof]

I've had my knees taped many times, and I found it really helpful to re-train muscles – never my neck, though.

 

[SickOfSickness]

Yes. It gave some of my shoulder muscles great relief, but others that weren't used to working had to. So it was also kind of painful for the first days. Overall more good than bad, but my main problem was removing the tape was hard on my skin, since I have EDS skin. If I were doing it again, I'd need to know that I could remove it more easily. That's very strong adhesive.

 

[Avena]

Useful to know before responding in this thread: kinesiotape and an old type of sports tape are two different things. The kinesio is elastic and meant to give circulation/relax muscles. The old type is rigid and gives support by making the area less flexible. The one pictured/linked to in the opening post is kinesiotape.

 

[Sushi]

Overall more good than bad, but my main problem was removing the tape was hard on my skin, since I have EDS skin. If I were doing it again, I'd need to know that I could remove it more easily. That's very strong adhesive.

I was given clear instructions for removing it — not to just rip it off but to lift one end and slowly pull while pushing the tape down with the other hand. Trouble is, she put it in a place that is hard to reach with two hands.

 

[Avena]

I remove the kinesiotape at the end of a long shower. I also find the different colours of the tape more or less easy to tolerate. Fexofenadine hydrochloride tablets makes me tolerate the glue during very sensitive periods.

There will be blisters if the tape is not cut rounded on the edges, or if you wait too long to remove it if it has started to loosen.

 

[Sushi]

There will be blisters if the tape is not cut rounded on the edges, or if you wait too long to remove it if it has started to loosen.

Yup, it is rounded and so far has stayed stuck.

 

[toyfoof]

There will be blisters if the tape is not cut rounded on the edges

Oh interesting, mine was not cut round (she had done it the last times) when it burned me.

Also FYI the little packets my PT gave me to prime the skin before getting taped are called Cavilon by 3M, no sting barrier film.