02 October 2008

Subluxation -- Part Two: Leukotape

Working in concert, the therapists have been addressing the subluxation during both my physical therapy and occupational therapy sessions. They use a multidisciplinary approach -- addressing the subluxation from several different angles and using a variety of methods, all with a common goal: to restore joint integrity.

Ultimately, we will rebuild and strengthen the atrophied muscles in my shoulder and upper arm. Until the muscles are strong enough to hold the humerus in place, however, Mike and Kristen, my tag-team OTs, have been taping my shoulder.

During the 2008 Summer Olympics, there was much talk of the tape many athletes were sporting – Kinesio® tape. Kinesio tape does more than look fierce stretched across bulging muscles in swaths of bright colors. It’s used to support joints and muscles to prevent strain, damage, and injury to the taped area.

Leukotape, the tape Mike and Kristin use on me is similar to the Kinesio tape the Olympic athletes wore, but Leukotape is much more rigid and provides more support. This high-tensile tape is used to realign my shoulder, and keep the joint intact and in place, while I work to strengthen the muscles in my shoulder and upper arm. Essentially – training wheels for my shoulder.

It's amazing, the difference Leukotape makes. For the first time, in as long as I can remember, my shoulder feels like it's a part of me. It feels solid. It feels whole. Since my shoulder is sitting in the correct place, it's not always uncomfortable, so I don't need to ask someone to move my arm as frequently. Best of all, my shoulder hurts substantially less. In fact, I'd go so far as to say sometimes it doesn't hurt at all. Bonus!

Read Part One of Subluxation

1 comments:

Sota said...

I'm glad to hear that the leukotape has worked so well for you. I am a student who just recently started my priliminary work in the field and one of our patients is having a really hard time in therapy due to her subluxed shoulder. She is very small and therefore can not use any of the slings we have efficiently because they are all too big for her. My instructor and I did some research and then spent the evening learning how to use the leukotape and we're really hoping that it will work to ease our patient's pain so that she can start to make progress in therapy, I have heard good things from people who have used it so I hope it works! Thanks for the feedback!

Stephanie M. O.T.A.S.
HanaSnow17@yahoo.com

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