The effects of therapeutic taping on gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy

Area of Science:

• Pediatric physical therapy
• Neuromuscular rehabilitation
• Cerebral palsy research

Background:

• Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often experience challenges with sitting control.
• Dysfunctional sitting posture impacts functional independence and participation.
• Effective interventions for improving postural control in CP are crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of therapeutic taping for enhancing sitting control in children with CP.
• To determine if therapeutic taping, when combined with physical therapy, offers functional benefits.
• To assess changes in gross motor function in children with quadriplegic CP.

Main Methods:

• A 12-week randomized controlled trial involving 18 children with quadriplegic CP (GMFCS IV-V).
• Participants were assigned to either therapeutic taping plus physical therapy or physical therapy alone.
• Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) assessed outcomes at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences in GMFM-88 scores were observed between the therapeutic taping and control groups over the 12-week period.
• The addition of therapeutic taping to a physical therapy regimen did not yield measurable improvements in gross motor function.
• Individual subjective observations noted a potential benefit in one child with athetosis.

Conclusions:

• Therapeutic taping, applied over the paraspinal region, does not appear to significantly improve seated postural control in children with quadriplegic CP.
• Current evidence does not support the routine use of therapeutic taping for enhancing functional sitting in this population.
• Further research may explore specific subtypes of CP or taping techniques for potential targeted benefits.