Effects of Kinesiology Taping in Stroke Patients

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Stroke; Upper Extremity Dysfunction

• Registration Number: NCT06723873
• Lead Sponsor: University of Beykent

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if kinesiology taping works to treat stroke patients. The main question it aims to answer is:

Is kinesiology taping effective in stroke patients? Researchers compare kinesiology taping to a placebo (visually similar but has no effects) to see if kinesiology taping works immediately to treat stroke patients.

Detailed Description

This study aimed to evaluate the immediate effects of kinesiology taping (KT) on trunk control, posture, proprioception, and upper limb function in stroke patients, specifically focusing on the trunk-scapula-shoulder complex. A total of thirty-seven stroke patients participated in this placebo-controlled trial, where they were randomly assigned to either the KT group (n=19) or a placebo-controlled sham KT group (n=18). The KT group received kinesiology taping applied using facilitation and inhibition techniques, while the control group received sham taping without therapeutic tension.

The application of kinesiology taping to the trunk-scapula-shoulder complex in stroke patients resulted in immediate enhancements in trunk control, shoulder posture, and proprioception. However, it did not significantly improve upper limb function in the short term.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2015-06-10
• Primary Completion: 2017-02-10
• Study Completion: 2017-02-10
• Status Verified: 2024-12
• Study First Submitted: 2024-12-03
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-12-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-12-08
• Study First Posted: 2024-12-09
• Last Update Posted: 2024-12-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 37

Inclusion Criteria

• Experienced a first-ever stroke
• Demonstrated a motor recovery level of Brunnstrom stages 3 or 4 in the affected upper limb
• No history of botulinum toxin-A therapy within the past three months
• Possess sufficient cognitive ability to understand and follow assessment instructions

Exclusion Criteria

• Individuals with movement or functional limitations due to prior shoulder injuries
• Exhibited allergic reactions or skin sensitivities to taping
• Patients with any existing skin conditions

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Proprioception Evaluation	Change of proprioception scores from baseline at the end of 24 hours of each kinesiology taping intervention.	Trunk and shoulder proprioception were evaluated using the inclinometer, with participants positioned at 30° forward flexion of the trunk for testing. They were instructed to hold this position for 5 seconds and then return to a neutral position for another 5 seconds before attempting to reproduce the initial benchmark position, with up to five attempts allowed. Shoulder proprioception was assessed at 75° and 90° flexion.
The Trunk Impairment Scale	Change of trunk impairment from baseline at the end of 24 hours of each kinesiology taping intervention.	The Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS) is a validated assessment tool designed to evaluate trunk function in stroke patients, measuring static sitting balance, dynamic sitting balance, and trunk coordination through a total of 17 items. Each item is scored based on the patient's performance, with the highest score recorded from three repetitions. The TIS provides a total score ranging from 0 to 23 points, where a higher score indicates better trunk function.
Posture Evaluation	Change of posture scores from baseline at the end of 24 hours of each kinesiology taping intervention.	Posture was assessed using the Posture Screen Mobile (PSM) application, a reliable and valid software tool for posture analysis available on iOS and Android devices. In this study, a physiotherapist utilized an iPad camera to capture sagittal plane photographs of each participant, which were then digitized by marking specific anatomical landmarks. The PSM application calculated anterior and lateral translations, as well as angular displacements, overlaying a grid on the images to assist in accurate landmark placement.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Motor Assessment Scale	Change of upper-limb function scores from baseline at the end of 24 hours of each kinesiology taping intervention.	The Motor Assessment Scale (MAS) was employed to evaluate upper-limb function in stroke patients, focusing specifically on three items: item 6 (upper-limb function), item 7 (hand movements), and item 8 (advanced hand activities). Each item is scored on a scale from 0 to 6, with higher scores indicating better functional ability, resulting in a total score range of 0 to 18 for these three items.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Beykent University; 🇹🇷 Istanbul, Turkey