Spine Health & Spinal Hygiene

Individuals with neck and shoulder pain may experience what feels like tightened lumps or knots in and around the muscles where the neck and shoulder meet. Can using kinesiology tape for neck and shoulder trigger points help to loosen and release them, restore function, and bring pain relief?

Kinesiology Tape For Neck and Shoulder Trigger Points

The upper trapezius and levator scapula muscles are where the shoulder and neck come together and are often the location of trigger point formations. These trigger points can cause tension, pain, and muscular spasms in the neck and shoulders. Various treatments for releasing trigger points and alleviating the pain symptoms include therapeutic massage, trigger point release, and chiropractic adjustments in a multidisciplinary treatment approach.

• Electrical stimulation and ultrasound have often been used to break up the knots, but scientific evidence has shown that these treatments alone are not the most effective. (David O. Draper et al., 2010)
• Stretching the neck muscles can bring tension relief and help release the knots.
• Practicing healthy postures helps avoid and prevent symptoms. (Cleveland Clinic. 2019)
• Kinesiology tape can decrease pain and spasms and help to release the trigger points.

Therapy

Using kinesiology tape is a form of physical therapy that can be used in various ways.

• The tape helps lift the upper tissues from underlying tissues to increase circulation and release muscular spasms.
• It can help improve muscular contractions, decrease swelling, and inhibit pain in injured tissues.
• Helps stop the trigger points and knots from worsening.
• The tape can also be used for managing lymphedema.

Usage

To decrease trigger points, individuals can use a specific kinesiology tape strip called a lift strip. Individuals can consult their healthcare provider or physical therapist to show them the various types of strips to learn how to cut them properly.

• Before using kinesiology tape, consult a healthcare provider or physical therapist to assess the injury and situation.
• Kinesiology tape is not for everyone, and some people have conditions where the use of kinesiology tape should be avoided altogether.
• A therapist can evaluate the neck pain and trigger points to determine if the individual should use kinesiology tape.

To use kinesiology tape for neck and shoulder trigger points:

1. Get comfortable with the neck and shoulders exposed.
2. Cut one lift strip for each side of the neck, if necessary.
3. The lift strip should be around 3 to 4 inches long.
4. Remove the paper backing in the center with the exposed tape in the center, which should look like a band-aid.
5. Both ends of the lift strip should still have the paper backing on.
6. Stretch out the kinesiology tape.
7. Place the stretched tape directly over the trigger points in the upper shoulder area.
8. Remove the backing on either side of the lift strip and place the ends on without stretching.
9. Gently rub the tape to help the adhesive adhere.

• Once the tape has been applied, it can be left there for 2 to 5 days.
• It's ok if it gets wet with a bath or shower.
• Monitor the skin around the tape to watch for redness or other signs of a negative reaction to the tape.
• Kinesiology taping can be a useful tool to decrease pain and spasms but does not replace professional treatment, prescribed exercises and stretches, and posture retraining.
• The physical therapy team will teach proper self-care strategies for the individual's condition.
• For individuals with neck and shoulder pain and muscle spasms, a trial of kinesiology taping may help alleviate symptoms and improve the overall injury.

The Non-Surgical Approach to Wellness with Chiropractic Care

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research studies or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to discuss the subject matter above further, please contact Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

Draper, D. O., Mahaffey, C., Kaiser, D., Eggett, D., & Jarmin, J. (2010). Thermal ultrasound decreases tissue stiffness of trigger points in upper trapezius muscles. Physiotherapy theory and practice, 26(3), 167–172. https://doi.org/10.3109/09593980903423079

Cleveland Clinic. (2019). Knots in Your Neck? How to Try a Trigger Point Massage to Release Them.

"Various problems with the sacrum make up or contribute to a significant portion of lower back problems. Can understanding the anatomy and function help prevent and treat back injuries?"

The Sacrum

The sacrum is a bone shaped like an upside-down triangle located at the base of the spine that helps support the upper body when sitting or standing and provides pelvic girdle flexibility during childbirth. It comprises five vertebrae that fuse during adulthood and connect to the pelvis. This bone takes and endures all of the body's pressure and stress from everyday activities and movements.

Formation

Humans are born with four to six sacral vertebrae. However, fusion does not take place in all sacral vertebrae simultaneously:

• Fusion starts with the S1 and S2.
• As the individual gets older, the overall shape of the sacrum begins to solidify, and the vertebrae fuse into a single structure.
• The process usually starts in the mid-teens and finishes in the early to mid-twenties.
• It is believed to start earlier in females than males.

The timing of the fusion can be used for estimating the age and sex of skeletal remains. (Laura Tobias Gruss, Daniel Schmitt. et al., 2015)

1. The sacrum in a female is wider and shorter and has a more curved top or the pelvic inlet.
2. The male sacrum is longer, narrower, and flatter.

Structure

The sacrum is an irregular bone that makes up the back/posterior third of the pelvic girdle.  There is a ridge across the front/anterior portion of the S1 vertebra known as the sacral promontory. Small holes/foramen on both sides of the sacrum are left over after the vertebrae fuse together. Depending on the number of vertebrae, there can be three to five foramen on each side, though there are usually four. (E. Nastoulis, et al., 2019)

1. Each anterior foramen is typically wider than the posterior or dorsal/backside foramen.
2. Each sacral foramina/plural of foramen provides a channel for the sacral nerves and blood vessels.

• Small ridges develop between each of the fused vertebrae, known as transverse ridges or lines.
• The top of the sacrum is called the base and is connected to the largest and lowest of the lumbar vertebrae - L5.
• The bottom is connected to the tailbone/coccyx, the apex.
• The sacral canal is hollow, runs from the base to the apex, and serves as a channel at the end of the spinal cord.
• The sides of the sacrum connect to the right and left hip/iliac bones. The attachment point is the auricular surface.
• Right behind the auricular surface is the sacral tuberosity, which serves as an attachment area for the ligaments that hold the pelvic girdle together.

Location

The sacrum is at the level of the lower back, just above the intergluteal cleft or where the buttocks split. The cleft starts at around the level of the tailbone or coccyx. The sacrum is curved forward and ends at the coccyx, with the curvature being more pronounced in females than males. It connects to the L5 lumbar vertebra by way of the lumbosacral joint. The disc between these two vertebrae is a common source of low back pain.

1. On either side of the lumbosacral joint are wing-like structures known as the sacral ala, which connect to the iliac bones and form the top of the sacroiliac joint.
2. These wings provide stability and strength for walking and standing.

Anatomical Variations

The most common anatomical variation applies to the number of vertebrae. The most common is five, but anomalies have been documented, including individuals with four or six sacral vertebrae. (E. Nastoulis, et al., 2019)

• Other variations involve the sacrum's surface and curvature, where the curvature differs widely between individuals.
• In some cases, the first and second vertebrae do not fuse and remain separately articulated.
• Failure of the canal to completely close during formation is a condition known as spina bifida.

Function

Studies on the sacrum are ongoing, but some proven functions include:

• It serves as an anchor point for the spinal column to attach to the pelvis.
• It provides stability for the body's core.
• It acts as a platform for the spinal column to rest on when sitting.
• It facilitates childbirth, providing pelvic girdle flexibility.
• It supports upper body weight when sitting or standing.
• It provides extra stability for walking, balance, and mobility.

Conditions

The sacrum can be a main source or focal point for lower back pain. It is estimated that 28% of men and 31.6% of women aged 18 years or older have experienced low back pain in the past three months. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2020) Conditions that can cause sacrum pain symptoms include.

Sacroiliitis

• This is a common condition of sacroiliac/SI joint inflammation.
• A doctor only makes the diagnosis when all other possible causes of pain have been ruled out, known as a diagnosis of exclusion.
• Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is thought to account for between 15% and 30% of low back pain cases. (Guilherme Barros, Lynn McGrath, Mikhail Gelfenbeyn. 2019)

Chordoma

• This is a type of primary bone cancer.
• About half of all chordomas form in the sacrum, but the tumors can also develop elsewhere in the vertebral column or at the base of the skull. (National Library of Medicine. 2015)

Spina Bifida

• Individuals can be born with conditions that affect the sacrum.
• Spina bifida is a congenital condition that can arise from the malformation of the sacral canal.

Unlocking the Secrets of Inflammation

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research studies or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, don't hesitate to get in touch with Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References