Taping of the foot is an innovative technique for the treatment and prevention of symptoms, manifested in the form of painful sensations and stiffness of movements. The essence of the technique is to apply elastic patches to the affected area.
What is teip?
Teip is a special elastic patch designed to immobilize joints.
The patch helps fix the limb in the required position, without provoking unpleasant or painful sensations. Subject to application technology, there is no restriction of mobility, and thanks to a special material, the skin breathes well.
The patch is easy to clean and dries quickly, does not cause disturbances in natural water metabolism in the form of perspiration (sweating).
The application of the patch is called taping, and the duration of this procedure is on average about 2 weeks.
Features of the procedure
Taping with hallux valgus deformity of the foot, as well as fasciitis, which are accompanied by pain during walking, is simply an indispensable procedure. To perform taping, a special material is used, which in its structure resembles an elastic bandage - tape. After applying the bandage to the area of the arch of the foot, there is a significant reduction in the load on the injured area, providing relaxation of the muscle fibers of the legs.
Thanks to the taping of the foot, which ensures maintaining the limb in the most comfortable position and fixing the fascia in an elongated form, the risk of sports injury is significantly reduced. In addition, the taping of the lower leg area is carried out with the development of the first signs of inflammation in the plantar fascia (such a pathology can be detected after radiography).
Indications for
Taping of the foot is used to treat flat feet and clubfoot. When carrying out this procedure, significant positive changes in treatment are observed in adults, and children completely get rid of the pathology. In addition, this therapeutic method is used for paresis, by fixing the limb restore its physiological functionality. Used for neurological diseases, various injuries and achillobursitis.
Taping can be used both with the advanced course of the disease, and during rehabilitation.
Taping of the foot with valgus is effective in the presence of such symptoms:
- pain in the heel while moving;
- swelling of the heel and hyperemia of the skin;
- in the affected area of the limb there is a constant muscle tension;
- due to the lack of the ability to lower to the sole, the gait is broken.
Advantages of the procedure
Taping of the foot shows a positive effect not only during therapy, but also in the rehabilitation period, preventing the formation and progression of the disease. This therapeutic method is quite simple to use and does not cause discomfort. Thanks to teip, muscle fibers are stretched, and they cease to exert excessive pressure on the vessels, thereby beneficially affecting local microcirculation. Given this mechanism of action, such positive changes are distinguished under the influence of the methodology:
- pain reduction;
- limb load reduction;
- removal of hyperemia of the skin and swelling;
- maintaining the arch of the foot.
Varieties of taping
There are several types of taping:
- Athletic. It is used in sports medicine to prevent athletes from receiving various injuries. In this case, the bandage is applied before the start of the training, and the patch is removed after it is finished.
- Therapeutic. It is practiced in the case of the formation of foot diseases of an inflammatory nature, which are accompanied by painful sensations.
- Rehabilitation. It is used to create a comfortable physiological position of a paralyzed leg. Quite often used in case of neurological diseases.
Hallux valgus: taping technique
Taping of the valgus foot in children and adults has become a popular alternative to numerous previously applied therapeutic methods. The disease itself is distinguished by a shift of the thumb to the rest, while a number of apparently invisible negative disorders under the skin are noted. The exact reason for the development of this condition has not been identified, but among the probable causes, a genetic predisposition, osteoporosis, flat feet, and wearing uncomfortable shoes are noted.
Tapping with a flat-valgus foot involves fixing a small amount of the patch in a spiral on the thumb, and fastening is done from the outside of the limb. Another patch patch is mounted in such a way as to pull the finger to the side, thereby returning it to the correct position.
Taping for the diagnosis of flat feet
In the modern world, the problem of smoothing the transverse and longitudinal arch of the heel is widespread, as a result of which its shock-absorbing properties are weakened. Taping the foot with flat feet will allow this problem to be solved as soon as possible, especially in the early stages.
Performing this procedure with flat feet makes it possible to get rid of the need for long and complex medical procedures. In addition, the effectiveness of performing special gymnastics is significantly increased. In the case of diagnosis of pathology, the application of a dressing should be carried out by the attending physician, since it is required to maintain a various degree of stretch, which is simply impossible to do on your own.
Taping with heel spur
Fasciitis (calcaneal spur) is a pathology that is characterized by the formation of pain during the first morning steps. This is due to the presence of micro-fractures in the foot that occur together with the load and heal throughout every night.
In the case of gluing a special tape, the microcracks are not accreted during rest, and the arch and sections of the foot, stretched using special gymnastics, are also supported.
The technology of taping with such a pathology is that on the outside of the foot with maximum tension to the calf, a special patch is glued.
Taping the foot with fasciitis using an adhesive plaster
If there is no opportunity to purchase teip, then you can use adhesive tape in a roll as a replacement. Having prepared this element, you can proceed directly to the application of the bandage:
- The base of the dressing is applied. You should use the patch to cover the widest point of the arch of the foot.
- The overlapping of the second strip is performed in a similar way, but 1-2 cm higher, slightly overlapping the first strip.
- The tape is fastened on the base of the thumb, after which it is circled around the heel. The second end of the adhesive patch is mounted on the inner edge of the arch.
- The strip of patch is fixed at the base of the little finger, after which the adhesive patch is again circled around the heel and it is mounted on the edge of the arch.
- Actions similar to paragraphs 3 and 4 are performed, but overlapping bands is performed a few centimeters closer to the fingers.
- From the fingers to the tubercle of the heel and along the sole, 1-2 tapes of the adhesive plaster are fastened. The heel remains free.
- The fastening strip is glued on the sides of the thumb, around the foot and through the arch to the little finger.
It is worth highlighting that self-taping of the toes is impossible. Be sure to require the help of a doctor or a person who has previously experienced this procedure.
Contraindications and side effects
Despite the many advantages of taping, the technique has a number of contraindications to the implementation. It is recommended to refrain from the procedure for people in old age, who are characterized by the presence of sensitive skin, and also suffer from skin diseases that are systemic. In this situation, taping can cause bloating, bruising and bruising. In addition, there is a likelihood of stimulation of nociceptors, which increase pain and itching. In case of the formation of such side effects, you should immediately remove the tape and consult a doctor for advice.
Reapply the bandage should in the event of such side effects:
- lowering the temperature of the fingers;
- sharp blanching of the skin;
- numbness of fingers;
- trembling and chills;
- increased pain.
If you visit a doctor for dressing, then the likelihood of these side effects is almost zero. The main thing to remember is that in order to prevent diseases, it is forbidden to wear teip for more than 10 days, since with prolonged use, weakening of muscle tone is observed.