Myofascial taping

What is myofascial taping?

Myofascial taping is an innovative fascial taping technique that can often quickly treat and eliminate pain, dysfunctions, and injuries in the musculoskeletal system (muscles, tissue, and joints), as well as shortening and restricted movement.

To do this, a self-adhesive and highly flexible cotton tape is applied to the skin along the fascial line. The tape does not restrict movement, but rather facilitates and improves it. The tapes are dermatologically tested and usually last between four and seven days or even longer. Since you can exercise, shower, and swim with the tape on your skin, it does not restrict your daily routine or everyday life.

Fascia taping mainly results in immediate improvement of pain symptoms and a shortening of the healing phases.

I exclusively use Flexotape® for this purpose, which is quite expensive compared to many kinesiology tapes, but I consider it to be the best in terms of quality, and it was developed specifically for myofascial taping techniques.

Myofascial taping is often and readily used at the end of a treatment to support and maintain treatment progress until the next appointment. However, it is also possible to apply fascial taping without prior physical therapy, especially for quick relief from pain, tension, and injuries.

However, for a lasting effect and improvement of symptoms, I recommend always combining taping with a prior myofascial connective tissue massage (rebalancing).

Areas of application

• muscle pain and tension
• Back pain (lumbar spine syndrome, thoracic spine syndrome)
• Herniated disc (disc herniation)
• Shoulder and neck tension (cervical spine syndrome, whiplash)
• heel spur
• Osteoarthritis and joint pain
• Rib fractures (to improve breathing)
• Pregnancy (to relieve back strain)
• Acceleration of the recovery process following surgery (e.g., artificial knee or hip joint)
• ringing in the ears
• scoliosis
• Headaches and migraines
• Treatment of scars
• Improvement of lymph flow (especially after surgery and injuries through lymph taping)
• Improvement and facilitation of movement patterns (including sports-specific),
  and much more.

History of myofascial taping

Myofascial taping is a fascial taping method developed by Markus Erhard (Physio Training Academy) based on the latest findings in fascial research. Often, it is not the muscle that is the cause of pain and physical discomfort, but rather, in almost 80% of cases of apparent muscular pain, its fascial sheath and the surrounding fascia.

Markus Erhard developed specific fascial taping techniques based on this, which aim to stimulate the movement and pain receptors of the fascia (Golgi, Pacini, Ruffini, and interstitial receptors) through the skin, thereby triggering corresponding sensory and fascial effects in the body. These receptors react to tension, pressure, and stress, for example. This led to the development of taping techniques specific to myofascial taping, such as:

• MRT – Myofascial Release Technique
  This means that where there is too much fascial tension, appropriate taping techniques are used to stimulate the fascial tissue above the skin and the underlying fascial structures to relax and release. Excess tension is reduced.
• MAC – Myofascial Activation Technique
  This means that where there is insufficient fascial tension, appropriate taping techniques are used to stimulate the fascial tissue via the skin to build up tension. This activates the fascial and muscle tissue.
• Myofascial CENTER technique
  i.e., centering and releasing the fascial tissue toward a pain point or area to create space, e.g., in the case of a slipped disc/disc herniation.

Myofascial taping is therefore, more precisely, a new, innovative fascial taping method that differs from classic Kinesio taping in that myofascial taping takes into account the functional course of the fasciae and the latest findings from fascial research and tapes accordingly. Kinesio taping often still works according to muscle attachment and origin and uses corresponding taping techniques.

How myofascial taping works

Taping on the skin eliminates fascial and muscular imbalances. These are also referred to as "myofascial imbalances" (myo = muscle / fascia = connective tissue). This leads to increased and easier movement and movement control, improved microcirculation (blood and lymph), and ultimately to pain relief and elimination. The mechanisms of action arise from the mechanical treatment of the fascia and the resulting biomechanical and neural effects, and not from the color of the tape.

The tape on the skin has the following effects:

• Myofascial release (relaxation of the fascia)
• Normalization of muscle tone
• Creation of space (e.g., in compressed vertebrae, joints, or intervertebral discs)
• Increase in blood and lymph microcirculation
• Stabilization and facilitation of movement sequences (e.g., in cases of rib fractures and sports injuries)

Treatment procedure Myofascial taping

1. Brief conversation: personal details, state of health, symptoms, and complaints
2. If necessary, clean the skin with soapy water/rubbing alcohol (skin should be free of oil)
3. Localize myofascial imbalances and, if necessary, restrictions of movement
4. Apply fascial tape to the skin
5. Final conversation

treatment duration

Please allow sufficient time for arrival and fascial taping.

As a rule, myofascial taping on already degreased skin, with a short preliminary consultation and without prior treatment, takes about 30 minutes. The effective time depends on the size and number of taping applications required.

Myofascial taping in conjunction with or during a physical therapy treatment usually takes between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on the size and number of taping applications. The time required for this is included in the treatment time, or please allow an additional 15 minutes or so to your regularly booked treatment time.

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