The document discusses the challenges pregnant women face regarding abdominal pain and the limitations of traditional support methods. It introduces the Powertaping for Pregnancy method from Rocktape, which utilizes kinesiology tape applied along fascial lines to provide long-lasting relief from various pregnancy-related pain. The approach focuses on enhancing proprioception and aligning the body posturally, targeting areas vulnerable to strain during pregnancy.

1. Pregnancy
Kinesiology
Taping
Method
Using
the
Fascial
System
as
Our
Guide:
The
Belly
Cradle
Steven
Capobianco,
D.C,
DACRB,
CCSP
Pregnant
women
have
frequently
been
at
a
loss
when
looking
for
answers
in
respect
to
pain
associated
with
their
growing
abdomens.
Typical
recommendations
include
from
strapping,
bracing,
compressive
garments,
and
ergonomic
pillows,
but
patient
compliance
is
low
for
these
methods
because
of
comfort
and
cost
issues.
Some
health
care
practitioners
have
attempted
taping
methods
similar
to
what
we
see
on
our
athlete
population,
using
traditional
rigid
athletic
tape.
Unfortunately,
the
non-­‐elastic
qualities
of
this
type
of
tape
often
result
in
skin
irritation.
In
addition,
taping
with
conventional
athletic
tape
typically
will
only
last
a
day
at
best,
which
does
not
result
in
long
lasting
relief.
It
is
clear
that
this
population
is
desperately
seeking
a
comfortable,
cost
effective,
skin
sparing,
postural
correction
system
that
will
provide
pain
relief
for
multiple
days
and
nights.
The
PowerTaping
for
Pregnancy
Method
introduced
by
RockTape,
Inc.,
provides
exactly
the
long-­‐lasting
custom
support
pregnant
women
need.
Utilizing
the
concept
of
“Taping
Movement,
Not
Muscles”,
RockTape
kinesiology
tape
is
applied
not
to
individual
muscle
groups,
but
instead
along
fascial
vector
lines
to
aid
in
a
variety
of
the
aches
and
pains
associated
with
pregnancy.
Proper
taping
methods
will
alleviate
neck-­‐postural
stress,
lower
back
pain,
sacroiliac
pain
and
possibly
most
importantly,
the
pain
that
results
from
the
additional
weight
of
the
growing
abdomen.
Figure
1
depicts
the
finished
application
of
the
PowerTaping
Pregnancy
Taping
Method
“Baby
Belt.
This
application
offloads
the
anterior
carriage
system
(growing
abdomen)
by
redistributing
the
stress
to
the
upper
scapula-­‐thoracic
region
via
the
“Spiral
and
Superficial
Front
Lines”,
a
fascial
sling
described
by
Thomas
Myers
in
“Anatomy
Trains:
Myofascial
Meridians
for
Manual
and
Movement
Therapists
(2009)”.
Anterior
View
Lateral
View
Posterior
View
Figure
1:
Belly
Belt
System

2. The
fascial
system
has
been
revisited
in
the
past
10
years
by
Thomas
Myers
and
other
experts,
including
Luigi
Stecco,
Robert
Schleip,
and
Gil
Hedley.
Dr.
Robert
Schleip,
a
German
fascial
researcher,
coined
the
term
of
fascia
acting
as
the
“Cinderella
of
body
tissues”,
as
it
was
systematically
dissected
out
in
an
attempt
to
expose
underlying
muscle/organ
tissue.
In
doing
so,
it
has
developed
generations
of
tissue-­‐
specific
practitioners
and
techniques,
excluding
fascia
as
an
important
structure.
By
taping
these
fascial
continuities,
it
became
apparent
that
a
greater
effect
was
experienced,
potentially
by
improving
the
communication,
proprioceptively,
along
these
kinetic
chains.
But
the
question
still
remains;
how
can
tape
on
skin
affect
the
fascial
system?
Dr.
Gil
Hedley,
a
renowned
fascial
anatomist,
stated
“the
skin
is
the
skin
of
the
superficial
fascial
layer”
and
when
you
distort
one,
the
other
is
affected
as
well.
With
respect
to
taping,
these
fascial
innovators
are
stating
stimulation
of
the
skin
enhances
fascial
proprioception.
The
fascial
system
encompasses
all,
from
skin
to
core,
hooking
tissues
together
through
what
the
fascial
community
likes
to
call
the
“neuromyofascial
web”.
A
growing
body
of
evidence
has
shown
that
the
fascial
system
is
10
times
more
proprioceptive-­‐rich
in
sensory
function,
providing
the
brain
with
augmented
mechano-­‐regulation
(kinesthetic
awareness).
If
this
is
true,
kinesiology
tape
applied
to
the
skin
can
create
a
shearing
effect
to
the
underlying
subdermal/superficial
fascia
layer,
resulting
in
a
stimulatory
affect
on
a
greater
amount
of
sensory
receptors
that
enhance
body
kinesthesia,
and
in
turn,
improve
body
postural
positioning.
For
our
pregnant
patients,
proper
taping
procedures
can
alleviate
postural
strain
on
vulnerable
segments
of
their
bodies,
including
the
inguinal
region,
lower
back,
cervio-­‐
thoracic
junction,
and
pubic
symphysis,
which
will
result
in
a
positive
effect
on
the
associated
pain
syndromes.
For
more
information
on
the
Pregnancy
Taping
Method
or
other
“movement
taping”
systems,
please
go
to
www.rocktape.com.
About
Dr.
Steven
Capobianco
D.C,
DACRB,
CCSP,
Dr.
Steven
Capobianco
runs
a
private
sports
practice
in
Los
Gatos,
CA.
He
is
also
an
adjunct
instructor
at
Palmer
College
of
Chiropractic
West,
teaching
portions
of
the
Sports
Chiropractic
elective
program.
He
is
a
self-­‐described
“fascial
geek”
and
adopted
the
model
in
the
“Fascial
Movement
Taping”
technique
that
he
has
developed
along
with
Rock
Tape,
Inc.
To
contact
Dr.
Capobianco,
email
him
at
symmetrysports@gmail.com
Fig
2:
Myofascial
Meridians
Myers,
Anatomy
Trains
2009

3. References
1. Fuller, R.B. 1975. Synergetics. New York: Macmillan
2. Ingber, D. 2008. Tensegrity and mechanotransduction. Journal of
Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 12 (3), 198-200.
3. Fascia Congress. 2009. www.fasciacongress.org/2009
4. Myers, T.W. 2009. Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridans for Manual and
Movement Therapists. New York: Churchill-Livingston.
5. Schleip, R. 2003. Fascial plasticity—a new neurobiological explanation.
Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. Part 1: 2003, 7 (1), 11–
19; part 2: 2003, (2), 104–16.