Kinesiology taping: Does it work to help posture?

Sorry , why not buy a harness, removeable, adjustable backstrap.

Hi, @upright and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I merged your discussion into an existing discussion titled:

- Kinesiology Tape: Does it Work to Help Posture?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/posture-taping-1/

In this discussion, you will meet members like @imatine and @lotsofpain who have experience having their backs taped for various reasons.

@upright - Making sure kinesiology tape is applied correctly is an important part of the process because it is meant to assist certain muscles with movements and stability. As you are wondering, reaching your back properly would be difficult. Have you had kinesiology tape applied to your back in the past? Was it helpful?

You really cant do it properly by your self other than may be a bit of back support but you dont necessarily need a professional either but care is needed in application i just ended up with blisters burns. I rely too heavily on it the idea is to give your muscles an idea of what they should be doing if you overuse it thrmuscles waste away

https://www.richmondrehab.com.au/blog/category/taping-for-postural-correction this u can do your self as its on your tummy though i never found it helped. Happy to offer more help advice based on ewxperience

I bought myself a belt that encourages proper posture, goes around the torso and has an adjustable strong strap. I don't really need it and it's really not for feeding tube stomach people. If you go to a chiropractor I'm sure that would set you on your way

I think that KT tape helps add support while allowing freedom of movement. That is better than a brace which impedes movement. I would think that it is also important to keep up the stretches to help relax surrounding muscles and to keep some strength. I believe you would have to have someone do it for you as placing the tape requires stretching it and anchoring the tape on your back. Take a friend to several appointments so they can learn how to do it: not that difficult. I put tape on places I can reach myself, following you tube videos.

@lotsofpain my PT suggested KT tape for a reminder of posture. With a bit of stretch, if my posture started ‘slumping forward’ 🙃 I would feel the tape stretch snd then straighten up. It is just a reminder that you need to correct your posture. It helped me.
I believe my posture is the culprit of my back. It makes a very concerted effort to keep ‘thinking’ stand & walk straight & tall. Even sitting is so important, as I get in my recliner and lo & behold, I’m not sitting correctly, I’m slouching. Keep working at it and try the KT tape. I found it helpful.

Living alone, how can I put on this helpful sounding tape? Knees maybe, but not much else.
It's bad enough when so many treatments for my spine are unreachable. 🙁

I can't even scratch itches (which are already impossible as my back, buttocks and perineal area are permanently numb.
(That's thanks to my spinal surgeon who reconstructed it, and somehow left me with several disabilities including that. So weird., I can scratch it but somehow it's as if the itchies are unreachable, beneath the skin!).

But when I feel sorry for myself for that I remember my son's excruciating story about a 40ish woman, very successful Harvard graduate (started her own international company until two years ago, until she broke her neck falling down the stairs at home).

He accompanied her as EMT to a reunion (courageous of her to go), reported she was quadraplegic, reclining and on a respirator. He said she was (understandably) a bit crabby with her 24/7 companions when they didn't manage to reach her itchy spots when she described where they were.

What a nightmare, huh?