Melissa Madsen @momentswithmellissa
“Pain decreased after the second day of tape use by 77%} ”
Pregnancy can be one of the most exciting and beautiful yet overwhelming and challenging times for a woman’s life. Body composition, hormone, mental, and life changes make for an equally exciting and stressful time. During this time in a woman’s life, the desire to use natural, nonpharmaceutical products and services aligns perfectly with chiropractic’s approach to pain relief and functional improvement before, during, and after pregnancy. Studies show that more than 50% of pregnant women experience back pain, and chiropractors are the ideal professionals to provide support for that.
Fortunately, these patients are ideally positioned to grow our practices. Helping mothers through this vulnerable time often creates lasting positive memories for the person who commonly makes family healthcare choices and is friends with other moms-to-be looking for support through their pregnancies. It’s quite common that treating a mom through her pregnancy turns into working with her family and friends for years to come.
Adding the Pregnancy Spider to Your Practice
When working with pregnant patients, the Pregnancy Spider by SpiderTech is a small, important piece of the treatment puzzle. One unique feature when using the precut kinesiology tape is that it does not replace any therapeutic techniques you are currently using. Apply the tape at the end of the appointment, and your therapeutic effect continues for days to come. The Pregnancy Spider provides abdominal support, pain control, tissue decongestion and increases proprioceptive awareness so that pregnant moms come to their next appointment feeling happy and cared for. The Pregnancy Spider improves quality of life, and when pregnant moms excitedly lift up their shirts to show friends and family the tape on their belly, they are telling a story about you.
“I’ve had really bad lower back pain, leaving me feeling paralyzed some days when the pain is so bad I could barely stand! I have tried pregnancy belts, but those were uncomfortable. I started using Pregnancy Spider by SpiderTech, and let me tell you, it’s helped alleviate so much of that undesirable back pain. Best part, it is easy to apply and fits well under clothing sans the bulky/chunky feeling!” Melissa Madsen, @momentswithmellissa
During Pregnancy
A study by Kalinoski et al. showed a huge benefit in decreasing low back pain and disability by adding kinesiology tape to the treatment plan. They assessed the pain and disability improvements two days after tape use, removed the tape on day five, and reassessed on day seven to determine any lasting improvement even after the tape was removed. Their results were overwhelmingly positive:
1. Pain decreased after the second day of tape use by 77%.
2. Pain decreased after the seventh day by 79% (tape removed on day five).
3. Disability level decreased after the seventh day by 35% (tape removed on day five).
Postpartum
Giir§en et al. showed the big impact that kinesiology tape has on a four-week abdominal muscle recovery program for women four to six months after a caesarian section. The study compared two groups; both groups included core strengthening, core motor control exercises, and breathing technique instruction. One group added daily use of kinesiology tape to their exercise and education program, and the results speak for themselves. The kinesiology tape group displayed significantly better recovery in the following outcomes compared to the group without tape:
1. Abdominal strength
2. Abdominal endurance
3. Improved pain level
4. Improved disability level
5. Decrease in waist and umbilicus circumference
The research concluded that by adding the Pregnancy Spider to a core-training program in the months following childbirth, moms could expect better muscle recovery, strength, endurance, and a smaller waistline compared to exercise and education alone.
Dr. Nick Martichenko, DC is the Director of Education for SpiderTech kinesiology tape in Toronto, Canada. He is the Head of Golf Ontario's Medical and Performance Team, a member of Denis Shapovalov's Performance Team, a member of Tennis Canada's Medical Team and a proud alumni of Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, 2009. Contact Nick at [email protected]
References
1. Kalinoski P, et al: Kinesio taping vs. placebo in reducing pregnancy-related low bach pain: A crossover study. Med Sci Monit, 2017; 23: 6114-612.
2. Giir§en C, Inanoglu D, Kaya S, et al.: Effects of exercise and kinesio taping on abdominal recovery in women with cesarean section: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Arch Gynecol Obstet, 2016; 293(3): 557-65.
