Effect of Kinesiology Taping on Head and Trunk Control in Children With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is the most common muscular dystrophy type in childhood. Trunk control is responsible for adaptation during weight transfers, provides and maintains the upright position of the body, organizes postural and correction reactions; and stabilizes the body to perform proximal and distal limb movements, trunk rotations, and making contact between the shoulder and pelvis. In neuromuscular diseases, the trunk is usually ignored both for assessment and treatment as muscle weakness of limbs attracts more attention. Therapists usually focus on activities of lower limb and overhead including standing, walking, climbing, and raising arms to maintain independent mobility in rehabilitation sessions. However, the trunk also gradually gets weaker as the child gets older and this may be associated with movement dysfunction of upper and lower limbs. The Kinesio Taping method is used in the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders, providing either an increase or a decrease in the neural excitation of the muscle, depending on the therapeutic purpose determined after the clinical assessment.