Soft Tissue Therapy

Chiropractic training includes many techniques to deal with muscle pain or myofascial pain. When pain is present muscles always go into a degree of spasm, this is a protective mechanism. Muscle pain is often not the primary problem but you still have to treat it to ensure a full and speedy recovery. The function of muscular system is to give joints stability and to move bones. The brain and nervous system controls them giving co-ordination and purposeful movements. It is important to have your nervous system function at the best of its capacity to properly use your muscles. 

Common Benefits Soft Tissue Techniques: 

  • Relaxes muscles

  • Increases blood circulation and lymph flow, 

  • Improves the healing time of strained ligaments and muscular tissue, 

  • Reduces the inflammation of joints and heart rate, 

  • Improves range of motion and joint flexibility, 

  • Decreases muscle spasms, 

  • Improves oxygen flow

  • Helps to relieve muscle tension.

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Sports Taping

Kinesio Tape

Kinesio tape, is an elastic/stretchy tape that decompresses the skin directly beneath where it is applied. You may have seen it being used by many professional athletes. It has a unique appearance and comes in many colours and patterns.

Benefits of using this tape may include;

  • Fluid dynamics – improving blood flow and lymphatic drainage

  • The movement between different layers of muscle and fascia

  • Body awareness or proprioception by increasing neural stimulation

  • muscle pain

  • muscle cramping

  • tendon injuries

  • swelling

  • inflammation and bruising

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Rigid Tape

Rigid tape, or sports tape is commonly used for moderate/severe joint and ligament sprains or tears. Due to the instability these injuries can create, rigid tape is often used to help the body stabilise the injured area and can often help alleviate pain as well. The tape works by restricting excessive movement of a joint and/or ligaments.

Another common use for rigid tape, is when you are getting back to activity following an injury. An example of this is returning to soccer following an ankle sprain. Your Chiropractor may recommend taping your ankle for your next soccer training or match in order to provide some extra support during the recovery/rehabilitation phase of your treatment.

Taping used in these type of injuries is not designed to be worn for long periods of time, and your practitioner will inform you of the correct protocols in using this type of tape.