Kinesio taping - any good?

Public Archive
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Hi All

I’ve had a bit of taping on my red sore swollen breast today - it looks just like elastoplast and I wonder whether it can do any good.

Has anyone else had it? How much tape was put on? I’ve got a large piece on the under side of my breast and a piece coming from my arm pit which is cut into 5 finger which spread out down the top half of the breast if that makes sense!

Anyone had any experience of this?

My arm lymphoedema seems to me to be stress related - when I’m not too stressed it is ok, but it flares up and swell when I’m stressed. Don’t know if I’m willing to admit this to anyone as I love my job and very private about the stresses in my personal life.

Other than this I am feeling great at the moment. Hope others are too.

Kinden
xxx

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Hi Kinden

Sorry to hear you’re still having problems.

I’ve had Kinesio taping in the past. It seemed to work best when the strips were thick and put on breast and trunk.

The strips wouldn’t stay on if thin, particularly on my arm and didn’t seem to help much.

Some people on here have posted on here saying they have had excellent results, so I would imagine the effectiveness of the tape can depend on quite a few factors, such as skin type, location of the swelling and how skilled the person applying it is. I also found that for me the highly coloured waterproof tape stayed in position far, far better than the ‘flesh’ colured stuff.

I’ve just found a link to this document and have been having a quick look through it this morning. What a mine of info’! The link is:

ewma.org/fileadmin/user_upload/EWMA/Wound_Guidelines/Lymphoedema_Framework_Best_Practice_for_the_Management_of_Lymphoedema.pdf

The document is dated 2006. On Page 58 it says:

“Lymphoedema taping is an emerging form of treatment for lymphoedema. It involves the application of narrow strips of elastic tape to the affected area, and can be used in combination with compression garments or bandaging. It is thought to improve muscle function and lymph flow and may have a role to play in the treatment of midline and peripheral swelling. However, evidence is lacking of its efficacy in lymphoedema”.

So there you go. Horses for courses, I daresay. It doesn’t mention Kinesio by name, presumably it’s a brand name.

I know what you mean about stress - if I have a bad night’s sleep, I see it in my left arm the next day; I think I must only totally relax when I’m unconscious!

Just getting over my first ever attack of cellulitis…a jolly (not) afternoon spent in A&E with all the injured rugby and soccer players and their well-ticked-off wives and girlfriends. They actually sent me for a doppler scan of my arm, as they suspected a thrombosis.

Great to hear you are otherwise well and nice to see you posting again.

X

S

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Hi Kinden,

It’s brill ! I’m one of the ones who’s posted on here about kinesio taping before and it really helped my swelling - mine was more above my collarbone, over my shoulder, round my arm. I had it for over 12 months until it finally got reasonably under control. The ‘fingers’ that spread out can’t be too narrow or too wide - if I remember rightly, my physio cut a wide strip into 4 fingers that went from the front where my breast had been (mx no recon), over my shoulder,down my back and then over to my hip. Very decorative !! I also had different patterns depending on where the swelling was worst from week to week. It sticks better to some peoples skin than others and depends to some extent I reckon on how good the person applying it is - my physio was fab.

Good luck, Liz

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Hi Bahons, lovely to hear from you again. How are you doing? Is your current regime working for you? I haven’t been on for a while as trying to wean myself off coming on so much.

What’s a doppler scan? How’s the cellulitis? Are the drugs working for you?

Hi Lizcat, thanks for sharing your positive experience. I’m keeping an open mind and hoping it works. The lympho nurse has started off with just the 2 strips and will add more/different on Monday. She’s talking about putting it right across my chest really high up, just below my neck really, but we’ll see.

Kinden
xx

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Hi there Kinden

Lovely to hear from you, too! In general, I feel a lot better than I thought I would after 17 Taxol (last one tomorrow), then the dreaded scan to follow, of course, to see what effect, if any, it’s had.

Well, the doppler scan was just like an ultrasound to my layman’s eyes. It only took 5 mins, he talked me through it and said that the blood was circulating just fine in that arm, but the lymph was a bit sluggish. You don’t say? :slight_smile:

Anyway, a few days on and my arm is nearly back to normal and I don’t appear to have been left with any extra swelling, thank goodness. So the anti-biotics seem to be doing the trick. And fortunately they were the coated type, so I haven’t had an upset stomach, either.

I hope I didn’t sound too negative about the kinesio tape. I don’t think I put it very well. I should have added that it seemed to work quite well on my breast and trunk and not really on my arm, where the mere act of putting the sleeve on started to lift the strips, especially if, as I mentioned, they were thin.

It’s good to hear that Lizcat has has such a positive experience with it. I hope you do, too.

X to all

S

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Excuse my ignorance but is this tape like fabric plasters? I have recently visited a lymphoe specialist and she has put a sample on left unaffected arm and told me to come back in two weeks to see if I am allergic. Then she may try it under sleeve is patches to try and get extra swelling down. I have a suspicion but I may be wrong that my swelling has increased in the year owing to lack of management not on my part but by professionals and also being given the wrong fitting bra in John Lewis. I was given no guidance on what to do in hot weather when things got worse. I now have leaflets with lots of tips like putting sleeve in fridge and spraying arm with cold water.

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Hi starfish - yep that’s the one. I had the fabric plaster looking type but apparently you can get them in colours as well. The patch test is for allergies but there are a couple of brands available if you are allergic to one. I had the taping for nearly 12 months and did develop an allergy to it as my skin had had enough and needed a break. Will go back to it if it needs it again.

For extra info - athletes use them in bigger chunks to support muscles etc apparently!

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Hi All,
I have kinesio taping for the back of my hand when my hand swells and across my back and shoulder. I think its great and it certainly worked for me, hubbie learnt how to do it on my back and have tape at home, so now can get him to do it for me if it is bad. i call it an octupus as it is cut into thin strips but left attached at the top, then it spreads out over my shoulder and back. Its not such a good look in the summer, but in winter can’t see it under my clothes.
One thing that has helped me, as i don’t need to wear my sleeve all the time, is wearing it in the morning before i go to work and in the evening when i get home.
Marg xxx

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The Physio tried a test patch on my arm , when I last visited the Lympho Clinic , Kinden and said it might help ( I have Lymphoedema in the breast following an axillary clearance , but not the arm ) .

I am allergic to plasters though and the tape did cause a slight reaction…all round the edges of where it had been stuck…so I am reluctant to try it in case it makes my breast worse…

I have just been measured for a compression bra…so am hoping that will improve things instead. Anyone else got one of these ? I would be interested to know how comfortable they are .LOL

Hugs,
Jill

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Hi Jill

I have one. Have replied more fully on the other lymphodema thread you have posted on about this.

X

S

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Hi All

My husband says it looks like a jellyfish! I suppose the thin strips do look like tenticles!

But to be serious, my breast still feels sore, and so does the top part of my arm. I’m supposed to take it off tomorrow, and go back on Monday to the lympho nurse who will put on a load more, including across my back.

Saw my onc on Thursday. He didn’t say much but looked a bit sceptical about the taping, and prescribed doclofenic (anti inflammatories). I haven’t taken them as they have previously upset my digestive system, which I already have problems with. Will give the taping a chance on its own to see what it can do - would rather not take any more drugs than absolutely necessary.

Bahons - 17 Taxol, wow that’s a lot. So hope your next scan shows good results.

Kinden
xxx

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Hi Kinden

I’ve just temporarily changed my avatar to show my the top of my left arm when it was kinesio taped Not sure how clear it is, but I think my ‘tentacles’ are visible!

Got my OH to take these a couple of years ago, as my lymphoedema nurse was keen to train OHs, carers, etc to apply it rather than have people go to clinic for it. OH took the pics because he was working full-time and didn’t attend.

If anyone’s interested to see more clearly what kinesio looks like on a real person, I’ve got several pics of me (back and arm) taped up and I don’t mind mailing them. Just pm me.

Wouldn’t worry about your onc being sceptical, kinden. Most of them don’t know much about lymphoedema or ways to try to treat it.

Yes 17 Taxol! (but it’s only lately made me feel worn out - it’s a sort of Taxotere lite as far as I’m concerned) - the last one, the 18th, has been postponed because of the cellulitis. Know what you mean about the grouchy digestive system, Kinden. I was hoping to feel more energetic with the extra week off, but the ABs have put a stop to that. My stomach is growling and cramping all the time. I feel grottier than when on Taxol.

It’s good to have the anti-inflammatories up your sleeve, I think. But even better if you can get better without them.

Take care.

Hope all goes well at the clinic on Monday.

X to all

S

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Bahons2 - like the photo !! My physio said we should have photographed all my different patterns so they could be used to show others and also to demonstrate just how effective the taping was.

I was very lucky in that my surgeon, onc and bcn all approve of kinesio taping and believe it works. If I need it again, they will be fully supportive.

Liz

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Thanks, Liz!

Actually, if the photo was full size you would be able to see where the tape is starting to lift slightly on my arm. It used to last much better on my back.

Yes, I think the photos are a good idea…you sort of think you can remember where the tape went, but it’s good to have a visual reminder.

Sounds like you have a good team looking after you.

X

S

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Thanks for the photo Bahons.

I took the tape off yesterday, and my breast looked whiter than it has for months, quite a revelation really! Lympho nurse was pleased (not as much as me) and has taped me up differently this time as I still had marks from the first lot, but it’s looking good.

Bahons - all the best with your 18th taxol + scan results.

Hugs

Kinden
x

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So pleased you have had a good result so far, Kinden!

Long may it continue - you’ve had a rotten time with this for a quite a while, if I remember correctly.

Thanks for your good wishes.

X to all

S