Megan Hill

“I say, start with something simple. Get a massage and try the tape. Together the combination is just phenomenal.”

Kinesio Tape Pain Relief: ‘I wish I would have known sooner’

Megan Hill, Sartell, learned to live with her back pain. She took Tylenol every day and stopped going to the gym. She bought a standing desk because sitting through her workday was difficult. Car rides were uncomfortable, so she dreaded the long car ride that took her to work and her sons to school.

Megan felt like she’d tried every option. She’d gone to a chiropractor first and when there was no improvement, she was referred to another doctor. She took steroid pills and felt no relief. She even tried steroid injections into her lower spine. But thousands of dollars later, Megan was still in pain. So, she just lived with it.

Then Megan learned about Lifestyle Health. She made an appointment with Certified Massage Therapist Shawn Linn, and he started to search for a solution.

“They weren’t relaxing massages. Shawn tried to really get to the root of the problem and take my pain away. At one point, my muscles finally loosened up. Then he moved my legs and asked which movements felt better or worse. By doing that, he could tell my muscles were underactive. That was the cause of my pain.”

Once Shawn knew the source of Megan’s pain, he suggested Kinesio taping, a technique used to stabilize muscles and joints during injury recovery. She thought, “There’s no way this will work. It’s just tape.” But it was an affordable option, so she gave it a shot. During the treatments, Shawn guided Megan through specific movements.

The night after her first taping, Megan was at home getting ready for bed when she realized something. “Bending over the sink to wash my face always hurt my back the most. I had figured out a way to balance my elbows on the counter, so the pain wasn’t so bad. That night, mid face wash, I realized I wasn’t using my elbows!”

Megan went back to Shawn four more times. “He had a plan of action. Get some relief and then start exercising again. Now I’m working out every day,” Megan explained. With her pain gone, she’s back at the gym strengthening the muscles that caused her problems in the first place. But most importantly, Megan can fully enjoy her work, life and family again.

“I wish I would have known about Lifestyle Health and Kinesio taping sooner. Shawn was so willing to do whatever he could to lessen my pain. I’ve referred quite a few people to him, and they’re just as pleased as I am. I say, start with something simple. Get a massage and try the tape. Together the combination is just phenomenal.”

Shawn hopes more people will consider treatments like Kinesio taping in the future. “It’s an inexpensive, non-invasive way to reduce pain, decrease swelling and improve muscle performance and function.”